The Topeka Corps is Here to Help

Stepping onto the sidewalk leading towards Topeka Corps, listen closely. From a detached garage to the west, the sounds of jump ropes snapping on the ground, weights being taken off their racks, and footsteps running back and forth are bleeding through the metallic walls. From the interior, basketballs hit the ground as the familiar sound of sneakers squeaking across the floor breaches your ears. You would think you were about to enter a gymnasium full of the city’s top athletes and bodybuilders, but open those doors on a weekday after 5:00 PM, and you will be surprised to see that the beating hearts inside belong to grade school-age children.

At The Salvation Army of Topeka, after-school care has not only been successful, but ithas also been thriving. Child enrichment and development have always been a point of focus for local community centers, but not every facility or organization can operate a program that supports children both physically and mentally. Students from all over the Topeka community make their way to The Salvation Army for free lessons, music, snacks, and games but it is the selection of sports teams housed within that makes Topeka so unique.

Currently, three primary teams are being hosted in Topeka: a soccer team, a basketball team, and a boxing team. The programs are coached by volunteers with experience in their respective sports. The boxing program, for example, is mentored by a professional coach and a professional boxer with impressive records on their own. The pedigree found in these programs has led students to high-level competition and events; the soccer team even recently won the Governor’s Cup. But like most Corps at The Salvation Army, in the center of it all is a dedicated pair of officers.

“Here in Topeka, Kansas, we are providing the traditional services you would think of… [but] we also provide sports programs. We have three different sports teams that are coached by three different individuals,” said Major Tom McDowell, who leads the corps, along with his wife, Major Julie.

The McDowells, being veterans of The Salvation Army, are no strangers to running a Corps. When they received their assignment to Topeka a few years ago, they knew they wanted to build on top of previous leadership and create an environment tailored to the Topeka community. As a result, each budding sports program became a dedicated team, allowing for a space where children can not only unwind and have fun with their friends but also have ample opportunities to learn how to work in a team and how to better themselves as athletes and as people.

There are many success stories to be found in Topeka, but for Major McDowell, one story sticks out.

“We had one young man who was from the inner-city, grew up with the message that the police you run from, and here he is around nurturing cops and nurturing firemen,” McDowell said. “[Our coach described] an image of that young man giving a hug to a policeman in the program. He is something like a 13–14-year-old kid, so the hug alone is extraordinary,” McDowell reminisced.

Stepping back onto the sidewalk, preparing to leave the Topeka Corps, listen closely. Still, the garage and the gymnasium are exploding with the noises of boxing and sports, but underneath the layers of goals being scored and records being broken, there is one consistent sound. Laughter.

If you want to support The Salvation Army, Topeka, or after-school programs, visit our donation page.