Amarillo Salvation Army honors Majors Ernest and Debra Hull before their Florida transfer

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·2 min read
Brenna Barrett, right, District 9 Chaplin for VFW 1475, presents Majors Debra and Ernest Hull with a certificate of appreciation for two years of leadership with the Salvation Army Harrington Hope Center as they end their service in the Texas Panhandle.
Brenna Barrett, right, District 9 Chaplin for VFW 1475, presents Majors Debra and Ernest Hull with a certificate of appreciation for two years of leadership with the Salvation Army Harrington Hope Center as they end their service in the Texas Panhandle.

The Salvation Army of Amarillo celebrated the service of departing Major Ernest Hull and his wife Major Debra Hull Tuesday afternoon at the Salvation Army Harrington Hope Center, located at 400 S. Harrison St.

During the ceremony, Brenna Barrett, District 9 Chaplin for the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Senior Vice Commander for the local post 1475, presented the Majors with a certificate of appreciation for their service to 150 local veterans and for providing shelter and assistance to the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022.

"We have had a lot of veterans come through the veteran dorms that we have established, and they (the Majors) get recognized for all the people that they help in general, but they don't get recognized specifically for all the veterans that they help. ... And I just felt that it was very important to honor them and the two years that they've been here with us," Barrett said.

Brenna Barrett, right, District 9 Chaplin for VFW 1475, presents Majors Debra and Ernest Hull with a Bible for two years of leadership with the Salvation Army Harrington Hope Center as they end their service in the Texas Panhandle.
Brenna Barrett, right, District 9 Chaplin for VFW 1475, presents Majors Debra and Ernest Hull with a Bible for two years of leadership with the Salvation Army Harrington Hope Center as they end their service in the Texas Panhandle.

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The Chaplin also gifted the couple with a commemorative Bible during the ceremony on behalf of District 9 and led the community in a prayer in honor of the Majors.

During the ceremony, the Tascosa High School Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) presented the American flag and led attendees in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

"Today was wonderful. It was a great going-away party for us, to be able to be farewelled by the community that we've come to love, and obviously we've impacted the community too, so we are excited that we've been able to do something positive here," said Major Ernest Hull, outgoing choral officer for the Salvation Army of Amarillo.

The Tascosa High School JROTC prepare to raise the American Flag on Flag Day at the Salvation Army Harrington Hope Center Tuesday to honor Majors Ernest and Debra Hull as they end their service in the Texas Panhandle.
The Tascosa High School JROTC prepare to raise the American Flag on Flag Day at the Salvation Army Harrington Hope Center Tuesday to honor Majors Ernest and Debra Hull as they end their service in the Texas Panhandle.

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The husband and wife Majors said they will soon transfer to the Salvation Army of Gainesville, Florida, where they will build a new facility for the community and be closer to their family in preparation for their retirement.

During their time with the Amarillo location, the Hull Majors made advancements to the shelter program, emergency shelter, and transitional living programs, as well as adding additional life skills training and providing rapid rehousing funds.

Majors Debra and Ernest Hull are honored at a brief ceremony Tuesday at the Salvation Army Harrington Hope Center. The Hulls said they will soon transfer to the Salvation Army of Gainesville, Florida, where they will build a new facility for the community and be closer to their family in preparation for their retirement.
Majors Debra and Ernest Hull are honored at a brief ceremony Tuesday at the Salvation Army Harrington Hope Center. The Hulls said they will soon transfer to the Salvation Army of Gainesville, Florida, where they will build a new facility for the community and be closer to their family in preparation for their retirement.

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"We're excited about what we've been able to do with the shelter; we are actually changing lives. My mantra is that we are taking the homeless and turning them into neighbors again," Hull said.

According to the Salvation Army, the incoming Majors for the Amarillo location will take their place in the upcoming months after the Hulls leave for Gainesville.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Salvation Army honors Majors for community impact during pandemic