Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal 2013

We have our landline phone number registered with the "Do not call register" to avoid the dozens of calls we were getting from pesky telemarketers (sorry, if you are one, I know you are doing a job, but I'm not a fan). However the register allows calls from Charities and Polls.

So, I still get a lot of calls asking for donations, etc, and of course I do give to some, but I just can't support all the callers.
Recently I was contacted to participate in a neighbourhood door to door collection for the Salvation Army - "The Red Shield Neighbourhood Appeal", to be held from 19th May to the 1st June.







At first I tried to get out of it, with the excuse I was going to Adelaide for 1 week during these dates (which was true), but the lady convinced me that it was a good cause, and I only had to give 1 hour or so of my time, by going door to door in one particular street in 
my neighbourhood, in fact the street parallel to mine.

So this Sunday, 26th May, I set off with my name tag, "sorry I missed you" envelopes, and receipt book. It was a bit daunting knocking on stranger's doors, but I had to tell myself it was for a good cause.
This year the Salvation Army is hoping to raise over 10,2 million dlrs. with this collection that will help out 1 million underprivileged Australians.

Well, I'm a bit disappointed with my collection - out of 25 houses in the street, only 5 people donated (total of $18,20), 3 others declined to donate, 2 said they had donated at the Salvation army booth at Shopping centre on Saturday, one had a "Do not enter -dog", 4 houses had walled and gated front gardens, and the others weren't home, so I left a "Sorry I missed you envelope" so they are able to send a direct donation if they wish.

But anyway, you have to remember that all the donations put together will eventually amount to that $10,2 million they expect...
  
The Salvation Army or "Salvos" in Australia also have "thrift stores/op-shops", where anyone can buy second hand clothing, bric a brac, books, furniture, etc. and at the same time help those in need.

Some of the Op shops can appear like normal boutiques (taken from net - Brisbane Salvos)

And still on the donations theme, on Saturday 25th, at a friend's invitation, I went to a Garden Tea Party/Fashion Parade to raise funds for World Vision. The gathering was at the huge grounds of a beautiful house in the Hills suburb of Kelmscott, and the donation fee was $10.

We had to take a chair, but there were plenty of tables draped in pink tablecloths. We sat down, then helped ourselves to beautiful finger food in a well laden and beautifully decorated table, and filled our cups with either tea or coffee.

The well decorated table and lovely finger food

A very different "bunch of flowers" made with paper serviettes

Maureen and another fund raiser

Then Maureen, the lady that is going to volunteer in Peru with World Vision, gave us a talk about the projects our contribution would be funding.
After the talk, we were treated to a Fashion parade, with 4 "normal models" wearing a vast array of pretty clothes. After the parade you were free to mingle and get to know the other participants, look and touch the fashion parade clothes and buy them if you wished.
We came home happy in the knowledge that we had done a good deed and had a wonderful afternoon in beautiful surroundings.

One of the models of the fashion parade

The models take a last bow

Hope you had a lovely weekend and if you live in Australia, hope you also managed to contribute to the Salvos Red shield appeal. Be generous!!

Some information about the work of the Salvation Army:

In a typical week, The Salvation Army provides approximately:

  100,000 meals and 8,000 food vouchers for the hungry

  2,000 beds for the homeless

  1,000 people with assistance in finding employment

  Refuge for 500 victims of abuse

  Assistance to 500 people with drug, alcohol and gambling problems

  Offering assistance to thousands of people with counselling

  3,000 people with aged care services                                                                                                  Family tracing services to aid in locating missing family members