Accounting for goodwill

ACCOUNTANTS have dug deep for manpower and cash to help kick
off The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal this year.

Dodgshun Medlin has
donated $6000 towards the annual appeal in Swan Hill, and allocated manpower to
the cause with 12 employees taking part in collections on Campbell
Street.

Managing partner of the business Ian Dodgshun said he strongly
supported the work of the Salvos.

“It’s important to us, we have a strong
view as a business that we need to support the local community.

“We tell
people moving to the community they need to support the community, to accept it,
in order to settle.”

Last year the appeal raised $13,000 locally, and Salvation Army Swan Hill corps
officer Stewart Stamp said the accountants’ assistance was a huge bonus towards
their $15,000 goal for 2013.

“There’s been a number of organisations that
have mailed in cheques from far and wide,” he said.

The charity estimates 2.2
million Australians live in poverty, including 12 per cent of children. 

Mr
Stamp said demand for The Salvos’ assistance was increasing every year.

“I’m
just amazed in slightly more affluent times, after the floods and drought, that
it [demand for services] hasn’t rebounded or stabilised,” he said.

“The money
goes out to helping people — anyone who is in need.

“In addition to corporate
donations, volunteers will be manning supermarket entrances for two weeks,
before the doorknocking weekend begins on May 25 and 26.

Nation-wide, the
Salvation Army aims to raise $79 million in the appeal this year, $10.2 million
of which on doorknock weekend.