Salvation Army

Major Bernard Edward Bone.

Major Bernard Bone
Rank	Major
Birth Date	October 5, 1937
Death Date	December 25, 2019
Relations	Bone Family

Without giving a reason why, the Salvation Army fired the director of Kirby Family House on Thursday, an Army board member said.

But the controversy swirling this summer around Shawn Zanicky and the homeless program might just be beginning.

Several Army board members have indicated they might resign next week in protest of her dismissal, said board member Blythe Evans. And some have said they will no longer financially support the Salvation Army or the United Way.

Kirby Family House, located in Glen Summit, Fairview Township, is not funded by the United Way, but the United Way’s president, David Lee, stressed the program needs support.

“It meets a need no other agency meets,” he said. “We want to make sure it’s there for women and children in need.”

Evans said Zanicky “doesn’t deserve to be kicked around like this. For too long now, a lot of people have just sat by and watched this woman get kicked around.”

Evans confirmed that Corps Commander Maj. Bernard Bone fired Zanicky on Thursday afternoon. Zanicky declined to comment.

Bone could not be reached for comment. A woman who answered the phone at the Corps office said questions should be referred to Scranton attorney Robert Ufberg, who also could not be reached.

“Bone sat in her chair and told her to get out,” Evans said. “He wouldn’t give a reason why and when she asked for a notice of termination, he wouldn’t give her that either.”

Bone had received the termination notice from the Salvation Army headquarters in Philadelphia but told Zanicky he wasn’t authorized to give it to her, Evans said.

Army officers from Philadelphia had been investigating complaints that Zanicky is so strict the homeless don’t want to stay at Kirby Family House. And, a former employee has accused Zanicky of discrimination and harassment in a human relations complaint filed against the Salvation Army.

A June 1 story in The Times Leader detailed alleged mistreatment of former employees and residents by Zanicky.

On Thursday, however, former Kirby resident Debra Janner said those complaints were greatly exaggerated. Janner had stayed at the Kirby House for about three months this year.

If anything, Janner said, Zanicky “cares too much. Sometimes she gets too pushy and you just want to smack her. But she’s trying to get you to save your money, to have structure in your life, to be independent.

“When I fell to pieces, she was there to pick up the pieces and glue them back together.”

Zanicky has denied any wrongdoing but will not defend herself publicly because to do so would violate the Army’s confidentiality rule.

Bone, however, confirmed in June that there were allegations against Zanicky. But since then, he has sent letters to people in the community saying the paper misquoted him. When The Times Leader asked Bone to explain, he refused to comment.

Evans questioned why Bone never asked the newspaper for a retraction if he was misquoted.

“This guy is very bad news,” Evans said. “He is a bonehead.”

Bone had told The Times Leader that problems at Kirby Family house had led Luzerne County Children and Youth Services to stop referring clients there. But a few days later, Children and Youth Director Gene Caprio said this was not true.

Evans said that in giving the newspaper erroneous information about Children and Youth referrals, Bone “either lied or was grossly negligent in checking the facts.”

Earlier this year, Bone replaced Maj. William Townsend, who transferred to Philadelphia to be near his ill son. Before he left, Townsend evaluated Zanicky.

“She exceeded nearly all the requirements,” Evans said. “Then this Bone guy comes in and look what happens.”

During a recent Luzerne County Commissioners meeting, Evans said Zanicky was “set up” by other social service providers who wanted to bury the Kirby program’s chances of renewing a federal grant. The grant, which was written by Zanicky, requests more than $700,000 in federal funds. It was sent to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Aug. 18; about two weeks later she was fired.

This week, Evans indicated some county officials, social service providers and executives at the United Way are against Zanicky because her program is more accountable.

“They can’t count on her to play their game,” Evans said. “And they don’t like the Salvation Army either too much.”

Times Leader, August 29, 1997

The advisory board of the Salvation Army has postponed giving Corps Commander Maj. Bernard Bone a vote of confidence.

Though members of the advisory board were saying little after Monday’s board meeting, one member confirmed the board will not consider an official vote of support for Bone until after a pending human relations fact-finding conference.

In the meantime, board member Blythe Evans, who some army officials have tried to kick off the board, has sent the army petitions with about 200 signatures asking for Bone to be transferred.

“This commander has done substantial harm here,” Evans said.

On Tuesday, Bone said he was unaware of the petitions, which have been sent to division commander Lt. Col. W. Todd Bassett and territorial commander Commissioner Ronald G. Irwin. Bone would not comment on actions taken at the board meeting.

Some board members apparently support Bone. During Monday’s board meeting, member Richard Pearsall read a letter from member Frank Henry that called for a vote of confidence for Bone, said another board member who asked not to be identified.

Pearsall and Henry could not be reached for comment.

The board tabled any action on Bone until after a Sept. 23 conference before the state Human Relations Commission. The meeting regards a complaint filed against the army by Anthony Wallace, a fired Kirby Family House employee.

Run by the army, Kirby Family House is a transitional housing program for the homeless in Wilkes-Barre.

In his complaint, Wallace alleged racial and sexual harassment by Kirby House Director Shawn Zanicky, who was fired by Bone on Aug. 28. Bone did not give Zanicky a reason for her dismissal.

Laura Treaster, spokeswoman for the state Human Relations Commission, said both sides and the investigator will discuss Wallace’s complaint during the fact-finding meeting. The complaint can be resolved at that point if both parties are willing, she said.

In a June 1 Times Leader story, Bone confirmed there were allegations against Zanicky. Then about a month later, he denied Wallace’s allegations in a formal response to the commission.

Evans said Bone has been “devious” and “incompetent” in the way he dealt with Zanicky, the newspaper, and the investigation into Wallace’s allegations. Wallace could not be reached for comment. Zanicky’s attorney, Kimberly Borland of Wilkes-Barre, declined to comment.

Prior to Monday’s meeting, Bassett had sent letters to Evans requesting that he resign from the board. His letter noted that Evans was suspended from the board on June 20 due to a “conflict of interest.”

Evans maintains the army wants him removed because he has criticized Bone’s treatment of Zanicky.

But according to the army’s own regulations, Evans is still on the board because proper action has not been taken to remove him. The articles of organization for the advisory board state that members can be removed by a two-thirds vote of all board members or by the territorial commander.

The board has not voted to remove Evans, and Bassett is not the territorial commander.

“I’m still on the board and I’m not resigning,” Evans said. “They failed to get a vote of confidence for Bone because his mode of conduct is not supported by the majority of the board.”

Times Leader, September 10, 1997

Bernard Edward Bone, age 82, was promoted to glory Wednesday, December 25, 2019 from his home in Myrtle Beach, SC

He was born October 5, 1937 and raised in Pen Argyl, PA. The son of William G. and Reda L. (Lang) Bone. Bernard graduated from the School for Officer Training in 1958. Serving 44 years in ministry with his wife as a Salvation Army officer in the USA Eastern Territory. He is preceded in death by wife Carol Diane (Houck) Bone, two sisters and four brothers.

Survivors include his sister June Soper; daughters Karen (Robert) Bender and Lori (Bobby) Coles; son Kevin (Shane) Bone; 14 grandchildren; and 11 great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Salvation Army, PO Box 500, Conway, SC 29528. A Memorial Service will be held at 4:00 PM, Sunday, December 29, 2019 at The Salvation Army in Conway, SC.

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• Salvation Army Fires Director Of Kirby House
• Salvation Army Tables Vote Of Confidence For Commander Board Opts To Wait For Results Of A Human Relations Fact-Finding Conference