Salvation found

By Bridget Brady
GORDON Chippett is a familiar face at Centro Shopping Centre come Christmas time.
The Cranbourne Salvation Army member has been rattling tins at the centre for the Christmas appeal for years, and said there were still a lot of needy families in Cranbourne.
“We help the needy people in Cranbourne, that’s the idea. It (Salvation Army) is a Christian church but we don’t actually preach or anything like that. The founder William Booth said it was no good trying to get people interested in religion if they were hungry,” Mr Chippett said.
The Cranbourne Salvation Army’s appeal has started for the year and members will collect at the shopping centre until Christmas Eve. Donations of cash, food and toys are welcome and there will also be gift wrapping for a gold coin donation.
Mr Chippett, 79, has been a member of the Cranbourne Salvation Army for about 22 years, which makes him one of the original members.
Before Centro was in town, Mr Chippett and his wife used to sit out the front of what used to be IGA to advertise the fact that the Salvation Army was in town.
“The very first person who came along said to me ‘where is the collection box?’ and I said we’re not collecting but he said ‘the Salvos always collect’, so that’s what started us off.”
Last year the Salvation Army collected about $4,500 at the shopping centre.
“There are a lot of needy families in Cranbourne.”