A LOCAL op shop is doing what they can to contribute to the plight of community chaplains.
Ad Care Op Shop in Margaret River has pledged $500 a month to keep chaplains in South West schools.
Ad Care manager Ray Dobell said the Seven Day Adventist Church to whom the op shop was linked to heard the Margaret River chaplains had lost their funding and as a church, decided to get behind them.
YouthCARE chaplain Kathryn Seison said the support of the op shop was greatly appreciated and if more organisations acted as they had done, there may be hope for the chaplains yet.
“The support and attitude is there, but we need more than that,” Ms Seison said.
Fellow YouthCARE chaplain Roger Westaway said the funding helped the chaplains to continue to serve the schools, the students, student’s families and community in anyway they could.
“Each school is different; the school’s needs, that’s what you’re there for,” Mr Westaway said.
“When the community sees what’s helping in the schools, that’s when they get involved.
“Chaplaincy to me is about relationships, right across the board.”
Mr Dobell drives from Busselton to Margaret River through out the week to keep the store afloat.
He said with the assistance of others, the shop would be able to still contribute to a number of local charities such as the chaplaincy program and River Angels.
“As long as the op shop is running we can help them out,” Mr Dobell said.
“We just want to let the community know what we’re doing so they can help us.”
He said the shop would do their best to stay open, but with a lack of volunteers, its future is uncertain.
To learn more about local school chaplaincy services contact Marg Lindsay on 0417 176 756.
To get in touch with Ray Dobell at the Ad Care Op Shop, call 9758 7058.