On this day in 1999, Danville’s Salvation Army Lieutenant Stephen Hood and his wife Shelley were saying goodbye to this community, much like commanders Patrick and Carrie Richmond are saying farewell this month.

While the Richmonds have been transferred to a march larger unit in West Virginia,

20 years ago, Hood had been transferred to the army unit in Frankfort. Danville had been his first command post after graduating college and earning the rank of lieutenant.

Under his leadership, Hood and his wife, along with the army’s advisory board, oversaw the campaign to build a new youth center and office building.

A major task that Hood was going to be facing in Frankfort was finding a new location for the Salvation Arm, since the state had taken over its property for a transportation building.

Hood said he thought he could get the job done, like he did for the youth center in Danville, according to Advocate-Messenger archives. However, he said the experience of having strong community support in Danville would never be repeated.

“The youth center is not a tribute to me. It’s a tribute to the board and to the community,” Hood said. “My wife and I have fallen in love with the community. It’s special because the community came together to help us meet a need for the youth.”

In other news, the 10th Great American Brass Band Festival was getting ready to open with the 10th annual Chautauqua Tea.

The Chautauqua Tea was begun “to create awareness of activities enjoyed in our town 100 years ago, when brass band concerts flourished around the country and when chautauquas (cultural and entertainment events) traveled from town to town,” said Rosemary Hamblin, one of the owners of the Tea Leaf café.

The event was going to be held at The Tea Leaf, at 230 W. Broadway.

Paul Cantrell, a retired English professor at Centre College, was to give the program, as he had every year. The group “Four Sentimental Reasons” was also scheduled to perform Civil War tunes during the tea. Band members were Janelle Dishman on piano, Rody Jackson on stand-up bass, Joe Anderson on drums and Mack Jackson on tenor saxophone. The group was also set to play later that night at the Combs Center for the Antique Show Preview Party.