October floods: Karyn Wishart played a pivitol role in organising supplies for relief centres during the October floods.
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Salvation Army captain Karyn Wishart has left Shepparton after six years of assisting the disadvantaged in the community.
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Prior to coming to Shepparton Ms Wishart worked in Ballarat for three years as the Salvation Army Western Victorian Division youth, children’s and candidate officer.
“That position oversighted all the youth and children's programs in the Western Victorian Division,” Ms Wishart said.
“Training leaders and running events for the young people of that area.”
For Ms Wishart, the Salvation Army was less a career and more a vocation and part of a family tradition.
Service: June Zelley and Karyn Wishart ahead of the Salvation Army's Red Shield Appeal.
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Max Stainkamph
“I have been in the Salvation Army for 41 years [her whole life],” Ms Wishart said.
“My grandparents and great-grandparents were also Salvation Army officers, this making me a fifth generation Salvationist.”
While in Shepparton Ms Wishart has had many memorable moments but she said none were as memorable as the times when the Shepparton community united to face adversity together.
“I have always appreciated how community comes together in times of crisis,” Ms Wishart said.
“We saw this during COVID and we saw it again during the recent floods.”
Dedication: Karyn Wishart has spent her life involved in the Salvation Army, with the past six years being spent in Shepparton.
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The October flooding was a particularly intense period for the Salvation Army, which had to set up and stock evacuation hubs.
“The Salvation Army supplied material aid and food to the two evacuation hubs in Shepparton and two evacuation hubs in Tatura. And with expanding need, we supplied more material aid to set up the one evacuation hub in Nathalia,” Ms Wishart said.
Ms Wishart had to co-ordinate multiple daily deliveries via helicopters flying in from Bendigo, as the road to Melbourne was cut off by floodwaters.
However, though natural disasters and COVID-19 were the most challenging periods of Ms Wishart’s time in Shepparton, much of her focus was on doing crucial but often unseen work assisting people dealing with loneliness, financial hardship, homelessness and addiction.
In her capacity as a leader within the Salvation Army, Ms Wishart led local Salvationists to see and identify where there was hardship or injustice within the Shepparton community and to help assist those struggling to transform their lives.
“It was wonderful to be a part of the development team that formed our local response to supporting those facing homelessness,” Ms Wishart said.
Helping hand: Karyn Wishart with some of the 2022 Wishing Tree Gift Appeal donations.
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Ms Wishart played a critical role in the Greater Shepparton Winter Night Shelter response, which saw numerous churches and organisations come together and give those suffering homelessness a place to stay during the winter months.
“People were given accommodation, healthy meals and sense of community in church buildings and community halls across our town,” Ms Wishart said.
Though Ms Wishart is leaving Shepparton, she said she felt positive about the city and its future.
“I have experienced a community that truly wants to look after itself,” she said.
“Shepparton people are very generous and want to see all people have a better tomorrow. That’s what makes Shepparton great.”
Ms Wishart will be relocating to Box Hill as corps officer of the Box Hill Salvation Army in early 2023.
As for anyone wanting to join the Salvation Army, Ms Wishart had nothing but encouragement.
“If you want to find a place to belong, where you can find your purpose and support others to do the same, the Salvation Army is the place for you,” she said.
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