HEARTBEATNEWSLETTER

Official newsletter of Variety – the Children’s Charity NSWIssue#04 - 2013 Spring/Summer Edition

Matthew Cowdrey was provided with a myopthic arm from Variety at the age of 11, helping him with every day activities and to reach his sporting goals.

Matt made history at the London 2012 Paralympics, by becoming Australia’s most successful Paralympian ever, winning five gold, two silver and a bronze medal.

Born with a congenital amputation to his lower left arm, Matthew started swimming at the age of five and was determined to be better than any able bodied person and broke his first world record at just 13 years of age.

In addition to multiple Paralympic titles, Matthew also holds six world championship titles after the 2010 World Championships and has two

Commonwealth Games gold medals from the 2006 Games, where he was the only Australian male swimmer to win individual gold.

Variety is very excited to announce Matt as our national Santa Fun Run ambassador. Matt is proud to represent Variety, stating “As a child who once received help from Variety I am truly honoured to be a Variety Ambassador and to participate in the Santa Fun Run. I am inspired everyday by the work that Variety does so please come and join me in the fun at this year’s Santa Fun Run and help disadvantaged children.”

Matt will join 10,000 other Santas across Australia on Sunday 1st December. You can register now at varietysantafunrun.com.au

/VarietyAUwww.variety.org.au P: 02 9819 1000 /VarietyAU /VarietyAustralia

Variety grant recipient and top Paralympian joins the Santa Fun Run

Ho, Ho, Go! The time has come for Santa’s wanting to be a ‘Claus for a Cause’, to don their running shoes and hit the pavement for the 2013 annual Variety Santa Fun Run on Sunday 1st December!

There’s a new and exciting route for the 5th annual Santa Fun Run in Sydney beginning at Darling Harbour Palm Grove, winding 5 kilometres through the city and ending on the steps of the Sydney Opera House! The Santa Fun Run proved to be so popular in Newcastle and Canberra last year that we’ll once again be painting those towns red!

You can be a part of the fun too by registering at varietysantafunrun.com.au

Santa Fun Run

Variety gives Rhys a new grasp on lifeBorn without a left hand, Rhys now finds joy in doing simple things that most of us take for granted, such as riding a bike or peeling a banana after Variety funded a specially designed, myoelectric prosthesis for him.

His mother, Calli explains, “The myoelectric prosthesis has been especially designed for his body and slides onto his elbow enabling him to use his upper muscles to move it. It’s been fantastic in enabling him to hold and grasp items, in a way that wasn’t possible before.”

Since receiving the prosthesis Rhys has been able to engage in activities at pre-school including holding blocks and even riding a bike given he can now hold onto the handle bars. This in turn has supported the development of his social skills and peer relationships. At home too, he is enjoying new found independence being able to do more for himself.

DiARy DATESVARIETY GolF DAY Friday 1st November

VARIETY MElBouRNE Cup luNCHEoN Tuesday 5th November

VARIETY SANTA FuN RuN Sunday 1st December

4WD ADVENTuRE Monday 24th-Saturday 29th March

Visit www.variety.org.au/NSW/Events/ to find out more.

“He loves the prosthesis so much, he calls it his robot hand,” said Calli.

The Variety Cycle 2014, in its inaugural year, has an ambitious goal: to engage both passionate cyclists and business organisations to help us raise over $1million for Variety – the Children’s Charity, whilst sharing Variety’s message with children and communities throughout Australia.

The grand event, departing from Sydney on 22nd March, will feature cyclists riding for 26 days covering 3,716km taking in Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide before finally arriving in Uluru in April.

For those not that ambitious, but still keen to ride and raise funds for this great cause, there are week long Guest Pelotons, Two Day Stage Rides and Bike-a-thon options in major capital cities. Best of all for the cyclists, it is fully supported and everything will be taken care of so all they need to do is hop on and ride.

More than just a bike ride, The Variety Cycle and the cyclists will visit and engage with schools, hospitals and the public right along the expansive route. Cyclists will travel around of the most spectacular scenery of Australia and engage with the culturally diverse community along the journey. There will be large scale events where the public can participate, ride and even meet the cyclists. On every level this will be an epic life changing adventure for all those involved.

Visit www.varietycycle.com.au to find out more.

Meet the man behind the inaugural event and long term Variety supporter, Christopher MappChristopher Mapp is the founder of the Variety Cycle and the foundation sponsor. Inspired by his father who founded Variety in Australia, Christopher has served as the chairman of Young Variety, and has coordinated numerous large scale fundraising events. Christopher sheds some light on his relationship with Variety and gives insight into the two wheeled event of the year.

What was your inspiration for establishing The Variety Cycle?

With a firm belief that there is ‘fun in fundraising’, I started looking for a new challenge. Inspired by a group of friends who cycled around Australia, I envisaged an epic event that could not only raise funds for disadvantaged children but also visit the children and communities that Variety directly assists.

What’s your goal for the event?

Aiming large, I wanted to create an event that lasts many years into the future. I’m aiming to create an event for Variety that raises money, engages corporates and individuals in a healthy and ongoing way for many years to come. It’s a bit like the Variety Bash on two wheels, bringing life, laughter, fun and colour to children and families wherever it travels in Australia.

What can people expect on the cycle?

The event is not a race, it’s not a competition, it’s an experience. The Variety Cycle will provide a platform and environment for people to see, touch and taste this beautiful country. People can see first-hand how their fundraising can directly help children in need.

How can people get involved in the cycle?

People can join the ride, support a rider, sponsor the ride or volunteer for the ride! We need people from all different areas to help the event come to life.

Why should people get involved? How will their support help?

Getting involved will not only satisfy you personally in many ways, it will help Australian children in need. Variety helps children to live, laugh and learn, and that is what we want to do for children across Australia. We will not only raise money in the lead up to the event, we will see where the money goes as we travel and visit some of the thousands of children that Variety has helped over the years.

It's a Wrap for the 2013 B to B BashThe VARIETY BASH... YA GoTTA Do IT! And this year over 300 people from around NSW - and a few Kiwis – did just that, the NSW Variety Dick Smith Bankstown to Ballarat Bash!

Starting on Thursday 22nd August the Bashers set out with 90 plus Bash cars and 23 Official Vehicles for the 4,345 kilometre Bash to Ballarat. There were Mermaids, Frogettes, Bananas in Pyjamas, Gladiators dressed as Spartans and Trojans, there were countless Super Heroes and some just plain old Joes who were along for the same experience and reason, raising money for our special needs children.

Along the rough, dusty, sandy and muddy roads/tracks they travelled on, 13 schools were visited where the Bashers donated over $67,000 worth of specialised playground equipment, books, board games, shade sails, a portable PA system and lots of kitchen and catering equipment to help schools with their many breakfast and lunch programmes.

Thanks to our new sponsorship from Dick Smith we were also able to assist each school with a $500 gift voucher for the schools to spend “online” with the electronics giant which came as a wonderful surprise to the schools.

To get to Ballarat the Bashers travelled through some iconic Australian Outback towns which welcomed them with open arms, but not much accommodation, so a lot of the Bashers either were billeted in homes or they chose to camp out. The camp out nights, over the past few years, have become very popular as the “Greeks” (several cars getting together) put on an “after party” to remember!

After leaving Bankstown the Bashers travelled to the overnight locations of Nyngan, Tibooburra, Innamincka, Birdsville, Leigh Creek, Peterborough, Mildura, Horsham and Ballarat. Did every car make it? No, not all of them, as Variety have a rule that the cars have to be manufactured prior to 1974, there is a good chance that a few would

be lost due to unrepairable breakdowns. And this year was no exception, however, many of them were kept going through the wonderful Mobile Workshop Team.

The Outright Winners, which is an award voted for by the Bashers for a team that “epitomises the spirit of the Bash” went to car B1B2, the Bananas in Pyjamas – coincidentally – one of the Greek cars! To Phillip Calaitzopoulos, Con Diakovasillis and Bundy Diamandaras we say congratulations, your participation and enthusiasm was obviously noted by so many of the other teams that it was a “landslide” vote for them.

We look forward to everyone retuning to NSW in 2014 for the 30th Bash anniversary. Coming together for the National Bash, Bashers all around Australia will finish in Sydney next August.

The Newcastle Bash took off at the end of May on their week long adventure with 78 cars in tow. All participants wore black arm bands as a mark of respect and in memory of our late Newcastle Chairman Tony Tamplin. Highlights of the trip included a performance by Variety Scholarship recipient, Melanie Dyer, seeing Variety’s ‘Vision For Life’ program come alive and surprising a family in need by supporting their little boy Jace who’s doing it tough. Thanks to the generosity of Bashers and supporters, over $734,000 was raised to help kids, be kids!

Newcastle Bash Highlight

Visit milesforsmiles.varietynsw.org.au to see behind the scenes footage of the Bash.

200,000 views across all videos = $100,000 donation for Variety from Nurofen!

Thank you to all of

our Bashers - over

$1.85 million net raised!

Nine year old Bryce is the face of the 2013 Gloria Jean’s Coffees Cappuccino for a Cause campaign, and a superhero in the making.

Variety helped Bryce realise his dreams by granting him a Variety Scholarship, which provided him with a piano. The piano has helped Bryce, who lives with autism, to develop his skills and overcome the isolation of the condition.

In this year’s Cappuccino for a Cause campaign, Gloria Jean’s Coffees is donating funds raised to sponsor more children like Bryce through Variety’s Scholarship Program. Throughout the month of October, people are being encouraged to be an everyday superhero and purchase a cappuccino in any Gloria Jean’s coffee house on 18th and 19th October with 50c from each sold going to Variety. You can also contribute ANYTIME in October by purchasing Gloria Jean’s Coffees travel mugs, chocolate hearts, chocolate shortbread biscuits or by downloading The Shout app and shouting Variety a cappuccino. All proceeds will go directly to the cause and you can share your shout through social media.

Letters with HeartVariety assisted Les Powell School with a Liberty Swing, allowing wheelchair bound and special needs children the chance to experience the joy of a swing. The Liberty Swing has provided them with much needed therapy and a chance to enjoy simple playtime pleasure that all children should. Here is a letter from the school’s grateful principal:

Superhero in the making

Spring is in the air and can you believe it, there’s only a few months till Christmas! For the first time Variety is excited to offer you our range of Christmas cards, made in conjunction with premium Australian stationary company hiPP!

Variety’s Christmas cards are perfect to send to your family, friends or colleagues. Thanks to your generosity and that of hiPP, by purchasing a pack of Variety cards (retail for $9.95 per pack), a minimum of $5.26 per pack of cards sold will benefit Variety to help Aussie kids in need!

The premium quality cards with a glitter finish, carry the Variety brand and message, and are only $9.95 per pack (10 cards per pack). Some of the designs have even been adapted by original artworks done by Variety kids!

Visit www.variety.org.au/hipp to order your Christmas cards today!

Variety Christmas Cards

Meet Andreas, an inspiring young man with autism. He chose to dedicate his 7th birthday party to generating awareness and raising funds for his favourite cause, Variety! His mum said, “Giving back has enabled Andreas to build his social skills and awareness for others in need.” Andreas held a Lego Olympics and a raffle which has raised around $800 to help other children in need!

Andreas and his family have supported Variety for many years now and hold the cause close to their hearts. Just recently Andreas was in a store with his mother where he saw another charity donation box and yelled out “our charity is more important!” His mother then explained that all charities are important and they have chosen to support their favourite.

Variety is touched to have Andreas, his family and ALL of our supporters so involved and passionate about helping Australian children in need.

Meet a Variety Champion

Woolworths stores raise over $200,000!July saw the start of our exciting new partnership with Woolworths Supermarkets. The year long campaign kicked off with a weekend of fundraising activities at all Woolworths stores in NSW and the ACT, which raised over $200,000!

Store staff, volunteers and shoppers really helped put FUN in fundraising for Variety – with raffles, face-painting, sausage sizzles and cupcake decorating.. Plus 40 of the Woolworths stores even had some of the famous Variety Bash vehicles and colourful characters on display for the big weekend!

Thank you to the Woolworths store staff and customers for generously helping Variety to raise awareness, as well as vital funds, so that we can assist many more Aussie kids in need!

Please look out for opportunities to support Variety in your local Woolies store in the coming months, including Variety merchandise and donation boxes at any time.