Through fires, flood and drought, the Salvation Army's Joel and Yolande Soper have been a mainstay of the Tenterfield community. It is with much sadness that the community bids them farewell as they move onto a new posting in the New Year.
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The couple and their family are relocating to Raymond Terrace, just north of Newcastle. The Sopers said the new posting will present a new set of challenges in its more-urban setting, such as a much larger degree of homelessness.
The Sopers enjoyed a large degree of autonomy in their Tenterfield placement, but will now form part of a larger team of support providers serving both city and rural communities, with their patch extending to Stroud and Gloucester. Mr Soper was born in Raymond Terrace Hospital and Mrs Soper spent five years in nearby East Maitland before they met, so it's not completely unfamiliar territory.
Postings are reviewed each year and Mr Soper credits their long stint here with 'things going well with the work we were doing." Of late that included many long hours providing food and support to those displaced due to fire, both at evacuation centres and with a mobile catering capability. In between (and during) these crises the couple devoted much of their time to drought support services, as well as the ongoing services for struggling families and individuals.
Mrs Soper counts building up kids' resilience through boxing classes and working with Karen Mooney and the team at Tenterfield Social Development Committee as highlights of their stay. Her husband is pleased that the foundations of the new Youth Shed in place after seven years of planning, and hopes to be back for the official opening.
They've also enjoyed great support for the annual Red Shield Appeal, again illustrating how the community 'punches above its weight' for a good cause.
Harder times include the struggles with drought and fires, but they were pleased they could make an impact. Mrs Soper said they've had lots of opportunity to bless people.
In 2019 alone they provided 15,000 meals to firies and evacuees. Mr Soper said these stats highlight the quality of the team they had, some members of whom will be life-long friends.
"In times of adversity -- in floods, and fires and drought -- you've been there all the time," Mayor Peter Petty said at a special presentation at the December council meeting to acknowledge the couple's stellar service to the community.
"You never stop, and it's all to make sure our families are on the right track and looked after, and going further than that and providing fodder for livestock and whatever you can do."
Mr Soper said it had been an honour to be stationed at Tenterfield. His grandparents had likewise been stationed here 60 years ago, and often spoke of the family and friends they have here and of the Shetland pony gifted to Joel's uncle who was struck down by cancer.
Mr Soper went on to say it was a privileged to bring up his girls here, to enjoy similar opportunities to those enjoyed by his dad and uncles.
Mrs Soper said that even when the whole town's suffering, everyone still chips in and helps each other.
"That's a generous, loving community and we've loved being part of it."
She also noted the behind-the-scenes work of Cr Petty who could often be found washing pots at the evacuation centre late at night during fire crises.
"You have a great mayor who loves his community and does a lot of stuff that people don't realise."
Mrs Soper said there'd been highs and lows during their nine years here but they've loved the loving and generous community.
