Roughly four decades ago, Claude Pelletier knocked on a door in Regina, searching for help.

He was an alcoholic and, in his words, “down on his luck.” The door belonged to the Salvation Army, and the officer who answered it gave an unexpected response.

“He didn’t tell me how good the Salvation Army was,” Pelletier remembered during an interview on Tuesday. “But, he did say to me, ‘we the Salvation Army can’t help you, but we can introduce you to somebody who can, and that someone is the lord Jesus Christ.’ I took that, I bought it and I’ve been following the Lord every since.”

In the 40 years since then, Pelletier has had his ups and downs, but he’s remained committed to his faith, and the organization that helped him find it. When the Salvation Army celebrates their 125th year in Prince Albert on Saturday, he’ll be one of many members honouring the occasion.

“I came to the Salvation Army to quit drinking and I stayed for 40 years,” he chuckled. “It’s incredible.”

For the rest of this story, please see the Oct. 25 online or print edition of the Daily Herald.