In what officials hope will prove an effort to better serve the community, the Salvation Army store will be relocating its thrift store to 541 W. Pine St. during the first week of July.

A grand opening for the new location will be held on July 3 at 9 a.m.

The store at 461 N. South St. will continue to operate as usual until June 26. The store will close for about a week to prepare for the new store to open.

Capt. Ray Morton of the Mount Airy Salvation Army church and store said Friday that he is pleased to announce the new store location.

“We are excited to offer a larger floor space for our customers and a more convenient location for our donors. The store offers a wide selection of clothing, accessories, toys, books, art, furniture and house wares donated from right here in Surry County and the money earned through the sale of goods in the store goes directly to the Salvation Army’s local services for the surrounding community,” Morton said.

He explained why the services provided by the Salvation Army are so vital to the community.

“We provide a variety of services to those who find themselves in need in our community — offering help with food and clothing as well as some financial assistance with utilities and medicines. Through our voucher program handled by our local Social Services office, we supply gently used clothing items to those who are in need. It is our hope and goal to become more visible to the community so that all will know that the Salvation Army is hard at work making Mount Airy a better place for all concerned,” said Morton.

“It is our aim and our goal to always do the most good with the time, talents and resources that have been entrusted to us.”

This past week marked the last on duty in Mount Airy for Morton. He and his wife, Whitney, will be moving to Spartanburg, S.C. The new corps officer and his wife, Capts. Mike and Susan Rodgers, will take over the position. Morton has served in Mount Airy nearly four years.

“I am sorry to be leaving this area. We certainly have enjoyed our time here,” he said.

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church, has been supporting those in need in God’s name without discrimination since 1865. Nearly 33 million Americans receive assistance from the Salvation Army each year through a broad array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. About 83 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in nearly 9,000 communities nationwide.

For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org. To make a donation or schedule a pickup to help usher in the store’s grand opening, call 786-9253.

Contact Mondee Tilley at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.