A beautiful place to grow relationships
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A beautiful place to grow relationships
3 June 2022
Ipswich Corps Officers Lieutenants Rita and Ashley Biermann with Isobel Sommer (right) in her stunning garden, which she opened to the public to raise money for the Red Shield Appeal.
An Open Garden fundraiser in Queensland has opened some hearts and minds to the Salvos’ work in the Ipswich area.
Decades of care and attention have created the beautiful Sommer Gardens. This year, owner Isobel Sommer opened her garden to the public and invited the Ipswich Corps to use the venue as a fundraiser for their Red Shield Appeal.
The local Salvos provided refreshments for the community, sold plants from the Bundamba Corps nursery enterprise and collected money for their corps programs.
However, Ipswich Corps Officer Lieutenant Rita Biermann said the most beneficial part of the fundraiser was the opportunity to explain where the appeal funds would be used.
“So many people weren’t aware of all activities we did in the community,” Rita said. “They were greatly encouraged by what they heard, somewhat stunned, really. The garden was a beautiful new space in which to connect with our community.”
Logan launch focuses on domestic violence
The domestic violence panel captured everyone’s attention at the inaugural Red Shield Appeal launch in Logan, Queensland. Photo by Annie Noon of Fotoforce.
“There are no losers, just people with stories,” said Kevin Lawler, guest speaker at the inaugural Logan Red Shield Appeal breakfast launch in Brisbane’s south. Kevin shared his journey from a life of drugs and crime to volunteering at the Southport Courthouse as a chaplain.
The audience also viewed The Salvation Army’s video showing the work of the Salvos in the recent floods in Ipswich, west of Brisbane, including their emergency response and ongoing relief efforts. Many of those attending the launch were personally impacted by the floods and were particularly moved by the video.
A panel addressing the focus of this year’s appeal – domestic violence – also drew the guests’ attention. Dianne Gipey, Salvation Army NT/QLD Domestic Violence State Manager, spoke about the increased need for domestic violence services and the desire of the Salvos to respond to women and children fleeing for their lives. She highlighted the need for awareness in the community and the important role bystanders could play.
Senior Sergeants Adam Cordner and Jacinta Pannowitz, Officers in Charge at Browns Plains and Loganholme police stations respectively, each shared how domestic violence had impacted them professionally and personally and their desire to educate communities about the issues, support victim-survivors and coordinate services. The officers have formed a partnership with The Salvation Army and their fledgling foundation, Dignity Blooms.
Many guests at the breakfast stayed after the event, talking to the speakers and learning more about The Salvation Army.
Multicultural community embraces appeal
Naikbakht Wahidi (left), a recipient of a Dell computer in the Digital Poverty Project, with Captain Tara McGuigan at the Sydney Multicultural Red Shield Appeal launch.
The Salvation Army is on a mission to raise $36 million for this year’s Red Shield Appeal, with some of these funds to support local multicultural communities around the country. To coincide with this focus, multicultural launches for the Red Shield Appeal were held in Sydney and Melbourne in May.
Key speakers at the launches included Lieut-Colonel Xuyen Pho, Officer for the Multicultural Community in Victoria, and Captain Tara McGuigan, Relationship Manager for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities in Sydney. Former NSW Opposition Leader Jodi McKay also spoke at the Sydney event.
There were many highlights of the Sydney launch, sponsored by MultiConnexions, a multicultural marketing and advertising agency that has supported the Salvation Army for two decades.
MultiConnexions CEO Sheba Nandkeolyar said, “We have supported the valuable work of The Salvation Army, especially in multicultural communities, for over two decades, and we are proud to be supporting this event again this year. The work done by The Salvation Army is diversity-inclusive, and they reach out to all audiences, including multicultural audiences.”
Naikbakht Wahidi, a recipient of a Dell computer as part of the Digital Poverty Project, shared her story with local business people, politicians and supporters.
Piping workshop icing on the Ingle Farm cake
Claudia (left) and Cathy put the icing on the cake for Ingle Farm Corps’ Red Shield Appeal.
Ingle Farm Corps in South Australia contributed to the Red Shield Appeal campaign by hosting a piping workshop, providing a fun activity and lots of beautifully decorated cupcakes to sell as a fundraiser.
Each workshop participant paid $10 for ingredients, learnt how to pipe icing and decorated more than 120 cupcakes to sell at the corps’ Sunday morning tea.
Natalie Egel, part of the leadership team of the corps’ Ladies Connect Group, said the workshop was a popular activity. “It was a great opportunity to teach a skill, but also to look outward to help others,” she said. And as for the cupcakes on sale for morning tea? “People just kept coming back for more,” she said. The activity raised more than $400 for the corps’ social programs.
Castle Hill schools educated on the appeal
Sixteen schools were represented at the annual Red Shield Appeal school launch at Castle Hill RSL in Sydney.
Students across Sydney’s north-west threw their support behind the Red Shield Appeal at a local school launch held at Castle Hill RSL. Nearly 75 students and staff representing 16 schools attended the event, which long-time Salvation Army supporter Jim Taggart hosted.
NSW/ACT Divisional Commander Miriam Gluyas spoke to students about The Salvation Army’s response to COVID-19 and flooding in the region before Carissa Ainsworth, Ministry Assistant from Tarrawanna Corps, spoke about her work in the northern suburbs of Wollongong. Add in a game of Kahoot [a game-based learning platform], and it made for an exciting and educational day.
Walking the talk in Leongatha
Captain Amanda Hart (left) reaches the finish line of her Red Shield Walk in Meeniyan. With her are (from left) Julie Jeffries, Kristie Burns and Envoy Margaret Coombridge.
Red Shield Appeal fundraising is a collaborative and creative effort in the Victorian southern Gippsland town of Leongatha.
Corps Officer Captain Amanda Hart ‘walked the talk’ last weekend with a 16km Red Shield Walk from Leongatha to Meeniyan. With a quick stop at the local bakery to top off the day, Amanda, accompanied by three friends, raised more than $1000 for their efforts.
The corps also got creative over the weekend by hosting a Red Shield Appeal art exhibition, showcasing the work of six local artists.
The local Doorways service also got in on the act with a lunch fundraiser today, with a guest speaker focusing on Reconciliation Week. A Trivia Afternoon is being held tomorrow, which will be accompanied by an Op Shop Fashion Parade. Fabulous!
Sunshine Coast riders hit top gear
Dean Morrison (left) and Matt Seaman rode 175km from Nambour Corps to Noosa, stopping at various Salvation Army centres along the way.
For the third year in a row, Nambour bandmaster and keen cyclist Matt Seaman completed the Suncoast Salvos Red Shield Ride last weekend.
Joined by Dean Morrison, the duo took a 175km route from Nambour Salvos to Noosa. Along the way, they stopped at Salvo centres to highlight the Red Shield Appeal, including Montville, Maleny, Beerwah, Caloundra, Maroochydore, Bli Bli and Coolum Beach.
Completing their course in just under eight hours, including a 1983m elevation, was a sterling effort. They raised more than $2700 for the crucial work of The Salvation Army in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland of Queensland. What a dynamic duo!
56 years and still counting
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Don Johnson, Wollongong Corps (NSW)
Which corps do you attend?
Wollongong Corps
How long have you collected for?
I have collected for the Red Shield Appeal since its inception when I was 16, so about 56 years. I only missed three, one when travelling around Australia, one when I was somewhere in western Queensland and one when I was recovering from a car accident.
What do you love about collecting for Red Shield Appeal?
I have seen and been involved with the work these funds have enabled. For a number of years, I was a volunteer with Salvation Army Emergency Services during Illawarra floods, fires and accidents, helping those in need and feeding both them and the emergency personnel working in the field. While I now find it difficult to work in aid-giving roles, I can still support those engaged in this through fundraising.
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