By Luke Voogt
Geelong Cats player Renee Garing has seen the adversity homeless youths face firsthand.
“I used to help with what was known as the Geelong City Frogs,” the club’s female vice-captain said.
“You can imagine the challenges they have not having a bed to sleep in all the time.
“The kids that I met there, a lot of them had received help from the Salvation Army.”
Renee has continued to support homeless kids through the Salvos, despite the Geelong City Frogs closing down.
For several years she has coordinated a “dedicated” group of students and their parents at Christian College Geelong, collecting donations for the Red Shield Appeal.
Renee collected for Salvos as a student at the college, which had been involved in the appeal for more than 20 years, she said.
“I love doing it each year and organising the kids. I’ve been involved in it since I started teaching,”
Renee was at the Geelong launch of the Red Shield Appeal yesterday and next weekend her group will collect donations in Belmont and Grovedale.
Cats big man Mark Blicavs joined Renee for the launch at Kardinia Park.
“The club’s been amazing in terms of opportunities in the programs they run and with our jobs outside of footy,” Renee said.
About 800 Geelong residents, including students from Geelong Grammar and Christian College, will attempt to raise $110,000 for the appeal next weekend.
But Geelong Salvos’ Stephen Wallis said the charity desperately needed another 200 people to give a few hours of their time over the weekend.
“We cannot do this alone,” he said.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of what we do.”
The Salvos would use money from the appeal to support its many social programs including rehab, emergency housing and financial counselling, Stephen said.
In a typical week the Salvos provided 17,000 beds, 40,000 meals and refuge for more than 100 women suffering domestic violence, he said.
“We all have the opportunity to be beacons of hope for others.”
