Salvos part of a hope-filled day at Government House
The Salvation Army was honoured to be part of the Government House Open Day in Canberra on Saturday 12 October 2026. It was a wonderful day filled with community, connection and fun.
Over 2500 visitors passed through the Government House gates to explore the Governor-General’s official residence, one of Australia’s most historic properties.
Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, Territorial Commander, said, “It is a deep honour to have Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia as patron of The Salvation Army Australia. And it was fantastic for The Salvation Army to be part of the Open Day. Simply wonderful!”
Her Excellency dropped by to say hello to The Salvation Army team, which had set up a badge-making table, invitng people to make a badge with a message of hope and encouragement to brighten someone else’s day.
While at the stall, Her Excellency placed a badge alongside other badges of hope, bearing a message from Commissioner Miriam: “Choose kindness, spread hope”.
One of the most striking aspects of the day was seeing people of all ages respond so enthusiastically to the theme of hope.
The stall soon filled with uplifting messages as participants decorated their badges in bright colours with drawings, stickers and messages such as ‘You are deeply loved’, ‘You’re not alone’, and ‘Be the reason someone smiles today’. These beautiful badges will be distributed through The Salvation Army’s services in the ACT.
“Throughout the day, I reflected that this activation was a real opportunity to share our heart with the people of Canberra,” Grace Davidson, National Schools Engagement Manager, remarked.
“The conversations we had were so genuine and uplifting, and the activity felt like a warm invitation for people to be involved in our mission.”
During the day, people were captivated by the experience. What began as a simple craft activity quickly became more meaningful as participants thoughtfully shared their message of hope for others. It was a true demonstration that kindness is contagious.
As each child engaged in the activity, they were offered a small showbag containing a few gifts and a leaflet with information about TSA programs and services in the ACT/Queanbeyan.
They also received a very sweet colouring-in sheet: an image of Shieldy at Government House (we also couldn’t resist recreating the colouring competition image in real life). Children were invited to participate in the colouring-in competition by submitting their artwork at their local Salvos Store, providing a simple way for families to continue engaging with The Salvation Army beyond the event and creating further opportunities for connection.
“A very big thank-you to the Governor-General’s team, whose organisation and support were amazing and set the tone for a wonderful day for all,” Joanna Reeve, Executive Manager Government Relations, noted with appreciation.
“Thank you to each person and team from across The Salvation Army who helped bring this event to life. Your support, creativity and commitment made a meaningful difference, and we are incredibly grateful for all you contributed.”
The Salvos team all agreed was a fantastic day of connection and community with countless small acts of kindness set in motion, carrying hope and encouragement into homes, families and communities across Canberra and beyond.
