General News
8 May, 2020
Salvation Army reopens their doors
The Salvation Army will be reopening some of their stores across Queensland including the local store in Tolga.
The Salvation Army will be reopening some of their stores across Queensland including the local store in Tolga.
Early March saw the closure of Salvation Army stores right across the country, but now with the number of active cases in Queensland decreasing every day the stores will start slowly opening back up.
Some stores will remain closed however as the volunteers who would be running the stores are in high risk age brackets for COVID-19.
The Tolga Family Store reopened last Thursday under new hours; 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday and no Saturdays for the foreseeable future.
Requests for assistance have still been flooding in and Tablelands Corps Leader, Miriam Newton-Gentle is glad for their doors to open again.
“We are really excited to get back to working in the Family Store,” she said.
“We already had people coming in as soon as we opened last week.
“We have been continuing to provide services while our doors have been shut, but it is great to get back into the store.”
The month of May is also usually a time when the Salvation Army would be going around, knocking on doors and raising funds for their ‘Red Shield Appeal’.
The ‘Red Shield Appeal’ is a fundraising push done by Salvos all across the country as they attempt to raise money for people in need going through things like; homelessness, domestic violence, mental health issues and social isolation and loneliness.
However due to the impacts of COVID-19 and the restrictions now in place, the ‘Red Shield Appeal’ will now be done online.
“The money raised will stay local and be used to support members of the Tablelands community who find themselves in need,” Miriam said.
“With over 25,000 residents on the Tablelands if everyone only gave just two dollars imagine the outcome.
“With those donations surely we would fulfil our motto; Leave no one in need.”
