Salvos require door knockers

The Salvation Army is encouraging Pilbara residents to get involved and volunteer for this year’s Red Shield Appeal.

Volunteers are needed for the Red Shield Appeal’s Door Knock weekend from May 28-29 to help end homelessness.

People are also needed to help man the Salvation Army’s stall at Karratha City Shopping Centre, which will also be collecting money for the appeal.

Salvation Army Karratha representative Niall Gibson hopes to beat last year’s total funds raised, which was more than $13,000.

“We don’t specifically have a target anymore — I don’t like to put that pressure on us,” he said.

“We obviously want to do the best we can and my thing is (that) I always want to beat the previous years.”

Mr Gibson said volunteers were always needed for the Red Shield Appeal.

“Part of the problem is that we don’t have enough volunteers to door knock on every door,” he said.

“Generally it can be good, but at the same time we’re always short of volunteers.”

The Red Shield Appeal raises money for the country’s homeless people.

Although homelessness isn’t an apparent problem in the Pilbara, Mr Gibson said it was still very much present.

“I heard only last week someone said … if you go under a certain bridge, I think it’s near the new health campus … and they said you’ll see stuff belonging to homeless (people),” he said.

“We’ve had people come in recently who have lost their job.”

“You lose your job and in six weeks you could actually be homeless … due to no fault of your own you’ve lost your job and rent’s a killer or even your mortgage — it could unfortunately happen to anyone.”

To get involved and volunteer, email Mr Gibson at niall.gibson@aus.salvationarmy.org or head to salvationarmy.org.au .