Released April 17,2007 - The Salvation Army continues to monitor the devastation following the deadly shootings Apr. 16 on the Virginia Tech campus.

Army members from local and territorial posts remain on hand to offer their resources - physical and spiritual - to the victims and support staff who are still reeling from the horrific event.

The Salvation Army has had one canteen on site with two listed as standby. On April 16, the canteen served 500 meals to law enforcement and first responders. The canteen will remain in place for the duration of the event which is expected to last a week and will continue to feed law enforcement and first responders, with the addition of any families of students harmed or unharmed who come to the campus.

Five pastoral care counsellors have also been deployed by the Army at the request of law enforcement. Although the situation is fluid and therefore nothing is set in stone, their jobs will be to provide emotional and spiritual care to the families coming to identify and claim the bodies, to the student population on campus, and to first responders and the general community as necessary. Our pastoral care team is supplementing a team from the Billy Graham Evangelical Association.

Please join the members of The Salvation Army and those the world over who continue to lift the victims, their families, and other affected, up in prayer.