General News
13 June, 2024
Rowe awarded for 60 years
The Red Shield Appeal has provided valuable funds to the Salvation Army for 60 years in their efforts to support locals in need, and for every local campaign, Ron Rowe has been there. At a Maryborough Salvos church service last Sunday, the...
The Red Shield Appeal has provided valuable funds to the Salvation Army for 60 years in their efforts to support locals in need, and for every local campaign, Ron Rowe has been there.
At a Maryborough Salvos church service last Sunday, the 86-year-old was awarded a certificate and medal for being a founding and continued volunteer for the appeal.
“I didn’t know that I was getting the award until they called my name out at church, never knew a thing,” Mr Rowe said.
“I didn’t realise that it was 60 years until they said it on the day but I knew I had been going on for a while.”
Since 1964, Mr Rowe has taken on many roles to support the appeal, he started door-knocking much to his concern at first, but became accustomed to the role before leading the collection team in Maryborough. He also attended and supported countless fundraising events in the last six decades.
While the charity drive continued to evolve as he was getting older, Mr Rowe said his passion and enjoyment for the appeal, which raised nearly $2500 for Maryborough Salvos this year, never waned.
“The Red Shield Appeal is important to the Salvation Army’s work — I have been a member since birth really and it is really important to me,” he said.
“People think that we are just a social welfare charity and don’t realise we have church services as well.
“You get some good moments while volunteering — you get to have brief conversations with people while door-knocking and they have created some good memories.
“After collecting, you would always come back to a meal at the end of the day, with soup, sandwiches, coffee — whatever you wanted.”
As volunteer numbers have gradually dropped across the Central Goldfields, Mr Rowe encouraged residents to give up their time to help improve the community.
“Some believe they can’t do something or don’t have certain skills, but you don’t know what you can’t do unless you try,” he said.
“It can surprise you when you have to do something, you can be really good at it and not realise, volunteering has made me develop so many skills and build my confidence.”