Red Shield Appeal aims for $9000 this weekend

VOLUNTEERS will be out in force this weekend with the 50th year of the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal.

The charity hopes to collect $9,000 in this region overall, including $6,000 from door knocking around Yass.

Major Gary Masters told Scoop the money is used to help those in need with general welfare issues, payment of household bills, catering for the emergency services when out on location, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs.

In fact, about $15,000 raised from the appeal would be used on welfare within Yass.

“We’re hoping people in Yass will be as generous as they possibly can,” he said.

“The Salvo’s help one million people per year – that’s one person every 31 seconds.”

Major Masters came to Yass recently to provide a presentation to the Yass Lions Club alongside Major Warren Lock and Yass Chairwoman Jacquie Tewes.

“One of the things they wanted to know about was the amount of money we spend in administration of the Red Shield Appeal, in light of other charities because they had heard others pay their collectors … and we reassured them that we don’t do that,” he said.

“Our door knockers are volunteers and all the money collected goes into the Red Shield Appeal.”

This is despite the charity absorbing a rise in the costs of administering the Appeal.

“We have seen a rise in administration costs over the years, it’s now at about 22 cents to 25 cents per dollar to administer and run the Appeal.”

Costs had risen because the charity no longer gets their advertising for free from the television networks, he said.

“Everybody has to pay for advertising now.”

He said householders should be aware bonafide Red Shield door knockers would come to their doors with a white Salvo’s bag with the red logo on it and an official Salvo’s receipt book also featuring their logo.

If you miss the collectors and would like to contribute, online donations can be made online here or via their phone hotline 13 72 58.

The national fundraising goal for the Red Shield campaign is $9.5 million.