Salvation Army store is on the move
The Salvation Army may have a new store location in Palmerston North, but its mission to help those in need has not changed.
Crowds thronged to the Sallies’ new store on Main St on Saturday to celebrate its opening.
Army members ran a sausage sizzle, while mascot Shieldy handed out balloons and gave everyone a friendly entrance to the new store, at the former Terrace End Books and Toys site.
The store replaces the one on Main St, near the former RSA clubrooms, while the Church St store continues to operate.
Salvation Army captain Stewart Lee said it was time for a change. ‘‘There is greater opportunity at this site with the foot traffic around here. It was shoulder to shoulder in here at 10am this morning, when we opened the doors.’’
The store would enable the Salvation Army to continue with its mission to care for people and make society better for everyone, Lee said. ‘‘It helps to raise funds to pay for our social workers, councillors, budget advisors and the like – the whole social service that we provide.’’
Although people were hired to run the store, volunteers were a key component, Lee said. Just as important were the people who bought and donated goods.
Goods would either be sold, or could be used to help people who may have lost all their possessions in house fires, he said. ‘‘It all enables us to help people in our community.’’
The Salvation Army is also getting ready for its annual 14 Hours Homeless event on October 13, where people are sponsored to sleep in cars, or on couches or cardboard, with the money going toward helping combat homelessness.
Lee said that raised more than $10,000 in 2016, but that money had almost run out.
Lee said the Christmas season was commonly the busiest time of year for the foodbank, but staff had noticed it was already becoming busy.