Orange opened its heart for The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal again on the weekend.
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The Salvation Army corps officer Captain David Grounds said before counting finished on Sunday afternoon, $38,249.20 had been raised by 251 doorknocking volunteers in two days.
Captain Grounds said when donations from the appeal launch were added $50,589.40 had been raised, but that figure will increase once donations at community collection points and cafes are collected.
He added volunteers in Blayney, Cumnock, Cudal and parts of Orange were yet to report in and their funds were still to be added to the total.
Captain Grounds said the business donations were down $8000 on 2016 but more doorknock donations had been collected.
The total figure dwarfed the total collected in Bathurst, which crept over the $6000-mark.
Captain Grounds said the turn-out of volunteers was heartening.
“We have more volunteers each year,” he said.
“[However] we are making slightly less per volunteer each year, and that’s probably because less people have cash each year, as more people go into using cards.
“Not everyone carries coins or notes anymore.”
Boarders from Kinross Wolaroi School made up some of the doorknocking volunteers this weekend.
During the morning on Sunday, year 10 students Emer Spora, Mabel Brockmann, Zara Hamilton and Claudia Hamilton went doorknocking in Glenroi, where they raised $216.
“It was pretty good, not everyone was home,” Zara said.
Year 11 students Rosie Barber and Porsha Bolte, along with year 7 students Josie Clarke and Anna Robinson, collected about $300 in Dalton Street and Spring Street.
“It feels so good when you receive the money and you know it’s going to go to a good cause,” Rosie said.
Another group, Abbey Tyrwhitt, Ruby Storer, India Krause and Bella Noonan, who collected in the Nile Street area collected about $440, significantly more than last year.
Last year, Orange raised more than any other regional city with $58,159.80, including $28,416.65 from doorknocking, $20,400 at the Red Shield Appeal launch and $9342.15 from community collection points.
That total was almost 8 per cent more than the amount raised in Orange in 2015.
Donations can continue to be dropped off that The Salvation Army store in Summer Street or text Orange to 199 2769 to donate $5.