Coast community bands together for good cause
August 7, 2014
More than 560 members of the Sunshine Coast community will once again come together for the annual Wishlist Spring Carnival Lunch on Friday September 19, raising funds to purchase an Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) for the Gastroenterology Service to help fight cancer in our local hospitals.
Guests will revel in an afternoon of entertainment and fundraising at the Caloundra Events Centre with popular television personalities Natalie Barr and Mark Beretta, leading Australian hairstylist Joh Bailey and one of Australian’s favourite sons, Rob Mills.
Rob first came to the nation’s attention more than a decade ago as a finalist on the first series of Australian Idol, but has since been a star of stage and screen with roles in Legally Blonde, Grease, Young Talent Time and also raising $40,000 for The Reach Foundation on Channel Nine’s Celebrity Apprentice.
In addition to the great entertainment, the Wishlist Spring Carnival Lunch, sponsored by Coastline BMW amongst others, will see over 100 auction items go under the hammer and organising committee chairman Travis Schultz said guests have the opportunity to take home a wide variety of coveted auction items.
“Thanks to the Coast community’s generosity we last year raised over $150,000 in less than four hours,” Mr Schultz said.
“This year’s list includes everything from holiday packages, VIP seating at major events, artwork and advertising packages so our guests are sure to find something special they would like to bid on.”
Some of the major auction items going under the hammer on the day include an overseas holiday package valued at $20,000 donated by Go Transit, an Australian Open tennis package in the ANZ Marquee in Melbourne, 100 bottles of wine from Travis Schultz’s private cellar, BMW Drive Package on Phillip Island, a Joh Bailey Experience including lunch with Kerri-Anne Kennerley, bilateral laser eye surgery by Laser Sight, advertising packages from Hot 91.1, Zinc 96.1, Go Transit and the Sunshine Coast Daily, artworks by Raelean Hall, Miles Allen and Kendall and TV ad production by Sound Images.
Lisa Rowe, CEO of Wishlist said the Sunshine Coast community is always so generous not only in supporting the event on the day but when it came to donating auction items.
“The equipment purchased through this year’s funds will mean Sunshine Coast residents will no longer have to travel to Brisbane for an accurate diagnosis of the ‘staging’ of an illness related to pancreatic, biliary, oesophageal and rectal cancer patients,” Ms Rowe said.
“The event, which is so professionally organised by Travis and his committee, has consistently delivered amazing results, with each year’s fundraising efforts outdoing the last and making such a difference to the lives of the Sunshine Coast community.”
Last year’s event saw guests raise funds for the ongoing implementation of the diversional therapy program within Nambour Hospital’s children’s ward, bringing in Delta dogs, music therapists and yoga therapists to help brighten the day of kids spending time in hospital.
This year’s Wishlist Spring Carnival Lunch has sold out months ahead of the event and aims to match the funds raised in previous years.
“We are looking forward to another great event and hope that the Sunshine Coast Community continues their generosity for such a worthy cause,” Mr Schultz said.
For more information, please visit www.wishlist.org.au.
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Media contact: Helen Perry – Fresh PR & Marketing
P: 0431 065 964 E: helen@freshprm.com.au
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