Forbes digs deep for Red Shield Appeal

By Sophie Harris
Forbes Advocate
May 27, 2014

http://www.forbesadvocate.com.au/story/2309511/forbes-digs-deep-for-red-shield-appeal/?cs=724

Forbes Salvation Army has reached their goal of $7,000 for this year’s Red Shield Appeal and want to thank the Forbes community for their support. Pictured are volunteers Jamie Benton (left) and Francis Hodges (right) with Salvation Army officers Troy and Donna Munro.

The community of Forbes deserves a pat on the back after helping the Salvation Army reach their target of $7,000 during this year’s Red Shield Appeal.

The Red Shield Appeal doorknock was held yesterday, with about 45 volunteers, including 30 school students, coming together to help raise much-needed funds for the Salvos.

Over $7,000 was raised in Forbes from the doorknock on Sunday, as well as at collection points set up in the week leading up to it, which Forbes Salvation Army officer Troy Munro said was a fantastic achievement.

“It went wonderfully,” Mr Munro said.

“We raised over $7,000 which is considerably more than I was hoping for.

“We had a great turnout of support from volunteers.”

The volunteers were only able to cover about a quarter of town during the doorknock yesterday, so Mr Munro encourages anyone they missed to take the time to make a donation.

“If we’ve missed anyone, I’d like to offer them the opportunity to donate at the local Westpac or at the Family Store in Forbes, which they can do anytime,” he said.

“I still anticipate other donations to trickle in before we get the final tally.”

Mr Munro said this year’s total so far is already an 80 per cent increase on last year’s total, which was $4,200.

“We’re very happy – we’d like to thank the community of Forbes for all the support they’ve given,” Mr Munro said.

“The people of Forbes have just been brilliant.

“We look forward to Forbes’ continued support in the future.”

Money raised during the Red Shield Appeal will go towards Salvation Army services such as dealing with homelessness, recovery services and oasis type programs, just to name a few.

Mr Munro said local people will benefit from these services if they are referred on to them, particularly the Salvation Army recovery service and financial counselling.

Forbes has done particularly well during the Red Shield Appeal, compared to other places in the region which were down on previous years.

A total of about $38,000 was raised in Orange, compared to $58,957 last year, which Major Greg Saunders said could be contributed to the Salvation Army’s involvement in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, making residents less willing to give or volunteer.

Troy and Dunno Munro of Forbes say while the Royal Commission may have affected the doorknock in other regional centres, it doesn’t appear to have had an impact on the generosity of the people of Forbes. 

If anyone would like to volunteer for the Salvation Army, Mr Munro encourages them to visit the Family Store to have a chat.