Inside Challenge - February 2010 by Challenge - supporting kids with cancer

FEBRUARY 2010

BenjTaotally min & Jim inspiring

WWW.CHALLENGE.ORG.AU

E G N E L L A CH FACTFILE

Features 8

WHAT IS CHALLENGE?

Golfing Great – continues to challenge the world

– Page

Challenge is a non-profit organisation which was established in 1983 to provide children living with cancer and other life-threatening blood disorders with an opportunity to put their illness aside and interact with other children in similar circumstances. Our organisation offers services for our families 365 days a year, which include camps, family activities, hospital and parent support, financial support, holiday accommodation and an extensive ticketing program.

Challenge is committed to ensuring children and families living with cancer and other life-threatening blood disorders are continually supported, from the time of diagnosis, through the treatment period and beyond. We do this by providing our members with quality tailored programs, which make life enjoyable for children and families during the challenges and uncertainties of fighting their illness. With an emphasis on fun, all our activities promote family unity and encourage the formation of support networks, a vital component in the healing process.

Junior Camp 2

Having won two prestigious golf tournaments Robert Allenby rushed back to Melbourne to tee off at the 18th Allenby Golf Day & Gala dinner for Challenge. Read about one of the most important events on the Challenge calendar here.

An Urban Adventure

Cops & Kids cAMP

Don’t You Know It’s Magic!

Xenia’s Journey

A Dream Trip

SURF CAMP

INSIDE CHALLENGE

A Dream Trip – Page

Challenge strongly believes that children and families who are offered positive experiences are better able to cope with the pressures of a life-threatening illness.

The name Inside Challenge was chosen for this magazine because it is a wonderful way of keeping children, families, volunteers and members of the community up-to-date on the happenings at Challenge and on the direction the program is taking. It provides us with an opportunity to:

Golfing Great – continues to challenge the world

Xenia’s cancer journey began when she was fifteen years old. Read about her experience and how her life has changed since then.

In June, eight lucky teenagers were flown to the USA on an all expenses paid trip in true celebrity style for the chance to experience the bi-annual Challenge ‘Trip of a Lifetime’.

Surf, fun and more Surf – that was what was in store for us when we left the city behind for a weekend in Lorne!

• Learn about each other • Exchange information • Share our experiences • Develop friendships • Keep our supporters and the community informed about our programs.

Xenia’s Journey – Page

Donations to Challenge are Tax Deductible. Whether it is a donation of two dollars or twenty dollars, you can claim it on your tax. Cheques should be made payable to Challenge: a cancer support network and sent to:

Chief Executive Officer David Rogers Editor Corinne Said The Leuk saga Mark Knight Design Edit Media Digital prepress & printing Impact Printing Further information A publication of: Challenge Challenge House 529-535 King St West Melbourne, Victoria Australia 3003. Cover Image Benjamin meets Jim Stynes at Playgroup.

All donations, advertising, story contributions and editorial enquiries should be directed to the Challenge Office on (03) 9329 8474 or emailed to mail@challenge.org.au The views, opinions and advice expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and contributors, and not necessarily those of, or endorsed by, the Challenge Committee. All materials appearing in this magazine remain the property of Challenge and are not to be reproduced without the express permission of the Chief Executive Officer.

Challenge Challenge House 529-535 King St, West Melbourne, Victoria 3003. A receipt will then be forwarded to you.

Cadillac rides, circus skills, an MCG tour, bowling, a night at the museum and being fed by former MasterChef contestants – these were just some of the activities in store for our members at the 2009 Urban Camp.

For the kids who are lucky enough to attend, camp means getting away from the parents and having lots of fun with friends! And that is just what happened when the buses headed off for the 2009 Cops & Kids camp starting with the first stop – Donegan’s farm.

For more than 20 years, the magician known as Crazy Pete has been dazzling us with his special brand of entertainment. Find out why we consider him to be the very best at what he does.

what's inside?

TO HELP You can help Challenge in a variety of ways. You can make a donation, volunteer your time, donate goods and services, or organise an auction item for our next fundraising event. Your business can also make a difference by incorporating Challenge in any fundraising programs. You can even help just by talking about Challenge and by letting people know who we are and what we do!

Many of our members were going to be away from home for the very first time when they headed off for an adventure at Junior Camp 2.

REGULARS

4 5 6 57 60 61

Bloke in Charge Challenge Dates Head to Head Reflections and Thanks Condolences Letters to Leuk

Fundraising

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Going Troppo at the Challenge Ball An Artist in more ways than one… Ride 4 Kids 2009 Australian Workers Unite to Support Challenge!

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Karen’s ‘Challenge’ for Challenge The Association that Cares…

Activities

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Christmas fun

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Girl’s Weekend Challenge style A perfect recipe Challenging the Blokes

Adam’s Day Up, Up and away it’s the Challenge Movie Day

IN HOSPITAL

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PARENT SUPPORT

Hospital Happenings Food Glorious Food Please Sir, Can I have some more? Monash madness Challenge Playgroup

OUT IN The COMMUNITY

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Trent the new Hawka? Finding a Lost Smile

Our Meet and Greet

My VIP Experience at The Press Club

Tom Cruises In A Ferrari

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Isaac Honorary Tiger 3

bloke in charge

March

Friday 12th -

Saturday 13th Saturday 20t

Sunday 14th .

. . . WATERSKIL

ANCER AT BAY

t . . . . MUMS

h . . . . DUC FIS

April

LS CAMP

. . . . KEEPING C

h- Sunday 21s

Saturday 27t

CALENDAR

HING DAY

’ RETREAT

ON CAMP

May

Saturday 1st . . . . MOTHERS DAY LUNCH MILT A H . . . . h t 1 1 ay LUNCH Saturday 29th - Sunday 30th . . . . MUMS’ RETREAT h - Sund ’ t S 8 M y U a d M G N O Thurs L E E Y BOAT DA th . . . . G N 0 1 W y O a T d r Satu ILLIAMS W . . . . LUNCH h t B 7 1 U L y a C d S r ND Satu . . DIAMO . . - Sunday 6th . . . . . . JUNIOR CAMP 1 5th h ay urd Sat t 4 2 y Saturda T FRIEND GALA DINNER Thursday 17th . . . DIAMONDS ARE A GIRL’S BES REAT Saturday 19th - Sunday 20th . . . . . . MUMS’ RET

June

t t a M ood Horw

Julia Roma n no

head 2 head

I’m beginning to see a theme here. What’s your favourite food? Anything Italian, mainly salami.

With Tom Gleisner

When did you first meet Matt?

In a first for this column we have gone for a double Head 2 Head! That’s right, it’s Head 2 Head 2 Head. I caught up with Julian Romano and Matt Horwood at the Robert Allenby golf day where they agreed to be interviewed together.

What advice would you give you give to another kid who is starting treatment?

It was on a Challenge activity, a sailing day. We then met up again in hospital but he’s always asleep!

Don’t think about it too much. Don’t look too far ahead, take it day by day. And just sleep through it!

When did you first get sick?

Matt

Julian

Name, age and school?

Grain fed eye-fillet.

Whatever happened to McDonalds?

Name, age and school?

It was in March 2009, I had lumps in my neck. The doctor said they would go away but then I had a CAT scan and they told me I had lymphoma.

Did you know what that was?

I’m 13 and I’m in Year 7 at Salesian College, Sunbury.

Once you’ve spent time at the hospital you never want to eat Maccas again. Just the smell of it is enough to…

Favourite subjects?

Yes, we get the idea. Favourite TV shows?

Julian Romano. I’m 13 and I’m in Year 7 at Parade College, Preston

P.E. and science

Two and a Half Men, Mega Machines.

What are your favourite subjects?

What are your hobbies?

When did you first get sick?

Maths, English, P.E., sport

I like motorbikes and playing with my friends. I also enjoy watersports such as wake-boarding and knee-boarding.

It was August 2009. I went in for a general check-up, the doctor said I needed an x-ray, it was Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Any brothers or sisters?

Brothers or sisters?

I’ve got a brother Alexander and a sister Lucinda Rose.

You just feel really sick. I found drinking water helped a little. The first few times I stayed in overnight, it was easy to fall asleep because the bed was so comfy.

What did you think when you were told that?

Two brothers, Blayne and Koby.

Any pets?

And what was your first Challenge activity?

What about pets?

I had no idea what it meant. I said ‘thanks – what the hell’s that?”

Do brothers and sisters count? We also have a dog called Sally – she’s a spoodle.

The Young Endeavour sailing day. Then today’s golf tournament.

We’ve got a Labrador called Milo and a macaw called Captain.

And what Challenge activities have you been involved in?

What do you like doing in your spare time?

What advice would you give to another kid about to start treatment?

Does it talk?

The Young Endeavour sailing day was my first. Now I’m here at the golf day. Robert Allenby makes it look so easy. He says ‘you just stand like this and put your feet this way’ and then he hits a perfect shot. It doesn’t work that way for me.

It says ‘hello’ and ‘hello captain’.

Favourite food? 6

Go-karting, visiting friends, researching cars, I like anything with a fast engine.

Favourite TV shows?

No, but from the name of it, it didn’t sound very pleasant.

What happened next? I started treatment, chemotherapy.

What was that like?

Have faith. Think that you are going to get through it. And drink plenty of water.

Top Gear 7

FEATURES

Golfing Great continues to

challenge the world Robert Allenby has certainly made his mark on international golf. To win a tournament at the highest level is a very difficult task but it almost seems that Robert can sometimes do it with ease. Having won the prestigious Nedbank Tournament in South Africa, Robert embarked on the mammoth mission to cross the Indian Ocean and be back in Australia ready to tee up at the Coolum Classic. Not only was he ready to play, he was there to win and that’s exactly what he did! Rather than enjoying the spoils of his victory in Coolum, Robert and his family rushed to the airport and were on the first available flight back to Melbourne so Robert could be teeing off at his very own golf day by 6am the very next morning. There is much talk about sportsmen and their achievements, and also of their community involvement. Some choose to create their own foundations, while others prefer to support the goals of other organisations whose work they believe very strongly in. To conduct a charity golf day and

gala dinner for 18 years takes a lot of dedication, time and commitment, and at no stage has Robert ever wavered in his passion for the work of Challenge. In total, Robert has helped to raise in excess of $13 million for Challenge – an absolutely outstanding contribution that has been recognised by all involved in his annual event, but should also be recognised by the wider community. The Robert Allenby Golf Day and Gala Dinner is one of the most important events on the Challenge calendar and in 2009 the action on the golf course returned to the prestigious Yarra Yarra Golf Course, where Robert’s career began. Robert himself was based on the 1st hole, meeting players and showing the form that successfully won him two tournaments in as many weeks, hitting the pin on a number of occasions.

With goosebumps lining the arms of all in the room, the night officially kicked off with MC Tom Gleisner welcoming everyone. One lucky person on each table won a pair of slippers from My Sweet Feet, made famous by the girls on “Desperate Housewives”. A few heels were sure to be kicked off and replaced by these beauties before the night was through! Robert then took to the stage and announced the winners from the day. For those who didn’t play, a presentation of all the action was beamed up on the big screen so nobody missed out on the fun. What was that guy doing hitting a shot out of the bunker in his underwear?! After recently recovering from major heart surgery, we were thrilled to have the enigmatic Jon Stevens on stage for a very special acoustic performance in a set that included all the favourites from his Noiseworks days, along with his solo hits.

The main reason for the event is to raise money for Challenge, and that is exactly what happened. Through the help of some of the closest friends of both Robert and Challenge, an amazing array of auction items was available for guests to bid feverishly on. Items in the Main Auction included 36 holes of golf at the private and exclusive Packer family course, Ellerston; a cruise for two to Europe courtesy of APT Touring; an original Salvador Dali print; and two wonderful sporting opportunities in trips to ANY golf major in the world or to Wimbledon 2010, lunching with Todd Woodbridge! The 2009 Robert Allenby Golf Day and Gala Dinner was another great success, and would simply not have been possible without the generous support of so many individuals and organisations. Thank you to our sponsors Srixon, ALH Group, Yarra Yarra, My Sweet Feet, Focal Promotions, APT Touring, Heritage Chocolates, Staging Connections, Crown; all of the fantastic corporate and individual guests who purchased golf packages; everyone who assisted with auction items; and all the Challenge volunteers whose help ensured the event ran smoothly. 2010 could be the year that we welcome back the Challenge International Patron Robert Allenby as a Major Golf Championship winner – fingers crossed!

Todd & Natasha Woodbridge have an ‘ace’ night

While entertaining the corporate groups, Robert also made time to catch up with some Challenge members who had come along for the day, and between the morning and afternoon sessions of play, everyone was treated to a golf clinic with Victorian state coach Michelle Howard. A number of well known faces also assisted at the kids’ clinic, including Challenge Ambassador Jarrod Lyle, pro golfer-come-celebrity chef, Lucas Parsons, and one half of the famous duo Hamish and Andy, Andy Lee. After a great day out on the course, guests arrived for the Gala Dinner at the Crown Palladium, and the night began with a beautiful rendition of “I Dream a Dream” by amazing vocalist Kathleen Madafferi. 8

FEATURES

Xenia’s

Journey

By Xenia Alexander

My battle with cancer is a story I have shared many times in the past seven years. Each time I explain it, whether it be to doctors, teachers, friends or complete strangers, I relive bits and pieces of the battle. This patchwork of memories takes me back to another world, one that is difficult to describe, but impossible to forget.

If my story sounds bleak, it doesn’t mean to be – I just want to be as honest and real as possible. Having cancer is like living with a black cloud constantly hovering above your head, sometimes close, sometimes far, but always there. I realise now though, that every now and then, from behind even the darkest clouds, the sun can still break through. The story began exactly two weeks after my fifteenth birthday. I was feeling tired all the time, lacked concentration at school, was getting terrible headaches and struggling to keep up with school sport. I didn’t think much of it initially, none of us did. Like most teenagers, I stayed up too late, ate too much junk food, did too much sport, and never thought of my health as something that could be at risk. Even after agreeing to see a doctor, I felt slightly guilty that maybe everyone was overreacting and I was just run down. The symptoms were so general and so subtle, I was told it could be anything from glandular fever to depression. After a couple of months with no solid answers from the doctors, I managed to get an appointment with a paediatrician at the Royal Children’s Hospital. While I didn’t know it at the time, she had a fair idea by the end of that appointment that something was seriously wrong. She spared us the details that night and instead called us in the morning, telling us that I needed to be admitted for some further testing. I wasn’t really worried, and even after needing a couple of blood transfusions for severe anaemia, I still felt like it wasn’t serious enough to justify all this attention. I had no idea this was a symptom or a warning sign of something more sinister. After a week of tests and procedures, I still thought I would be fine, that this was all just ‘standard protocol’ for ruling out something more serious, like glandular fever. How wrong I was. 10

must have been to have conquered it, so brave to deal with it all. To be honest, I don’t know why I survived in the end, and so many people close to me in hospital didn’t. I wasn’t special by any means; I fought because I had no choice. There were many days where I felt like giving up, and wallowed in my own self pity, and there were days I was still a moody teenager (even worse, one on chemo): bossing my family around and refusing to let anyone speak, eat, leave, or even go to the bathroom.

Nobody can prepare you for the news that you or Part of my family someone you love has cancer. To this day I still can’t find the right words to describe the feeling – or maybe it’s just something you never fully come to terms with. I do, however, still remember the exact moment they told me. I had been in hospital a week, and it was early evening when my family had been called out to speak with the doctors in private. When they returned I immediately knew something was seriously wrong. I had never seen my eldest brother cry before, yet when he walked back into the room he was crying uncontrollably, barely able to mutter the words… You. Have. Cancer. Even writing these words, seven years later, I can feel the weight on my chest – the suffocating sense of dread, fear and despair all rolled into one. In that room full of people I felt completely alone, as a terrible feeling of emptiness overwhelmed me. This numbness didn’t last long, and pretty soon the questions flooded in: How? What? Why me? I had plenty of time to think about the answers over the following two weeks, as they did more tests to determine exactly what type of cancer I had. Looking back, this period was like some strange dream. I knew I had cancer, yet I felt physically well, and by all appearances I looked it. I had no

Trip of a Lifetime ’05

Yet through all this pain and suffering, there was always hope. Hope came in many forms: the doctors, nurses, fellow patients, family, friends, and the volunteers. I will never be able to express my gratitude to those who supported me, in each little way they helped to save my life. Challenge was one of these saviours.

idea how I was going to tell everyone that I actually had a life threatening illness. I guess at the time I didn’t even believe it myself, or fully understand what it meant. I think they call it denial. When the hospital finally called us two weeks later and confirmed I had Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, I was somewhat relieved that I at least knew what I was going to be fighting, rather than some unknown cancer, (a prospect which seemed far worse). My parents did what any would do, they cried and cried, they held my hand and squeezed it tight, they hugged me as if it were their last chance, and then cried some more. I didn’t cry that afternoon in the office. I wasn’t exceptionally brave; I just didn’t know how to react. I wanted to be strong for Mum and Dad and show them I was going to get through it. The following seven months were essentially taken from my family and I – they disappeared into the void that is the cancer ward. This period is extremely difficult to convey to those who have never experienced life on the ward – it is another world altogether – everything moves much slower, each patient and their family is living life day by day, hour by hour. While that was my home for the better part of seven months, I now feel a sense of detachment from it, almost as if I am an onlooker to my own experiences, wondering how we ever got through it all. People tell me how strong I

It was so important to have that support while we were all living in that bubble, someone who understood what we were going through on so many levels. The Challenge volunteers would come in, sometimes they would bring gifts, sometimes celebrities, sometimes just a smile and a joke to distract you for fifteen minutes. While their approach was often ‘unconventional’ (I remember a number of times David telling me to quit being a drama queen and get up and move around), it worked. They treated me like a real person, not a number or a disease or a charity case. Some might say how does a ticket to the movies help, or what will an afternoon playing golf really do for sick children – I can tell you straight out. Any time where I didn’t have to think about the fact that my life was hanging in the balance, was like having my life back if even just for one hour or one day. That was priceless. To say the cancer experience has changed my life would be underestimating the effects it has had, and continues to have. The end of treatment only marked the beginning of a new journey for me, as I returned to ‘normal’ life only to find it no longer existed. While coming to terms with the changes in my life has been a slow and gradual purpose, I now realise that things will never be the same, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. While friends told me I should forget my illness, move on, and get back to living life, it’s not that easy – and why should I? I guess the key has been learning to embrace the experience in a positive way. I won’t lie, cancer has taken a lot from my family and I – it takes and takes – but after it has finished taking, as ironic as it may sound, it gives something back. Cancer gave me valuable life lessons that you can’t get at school, or in a textbook. My perspectives have changed and so have my priorities, I now appreciate the small things and value the support I have around me, because in the end it saved my life. I guess in that sense cancer also gave me the gift of Challenge, who have enriched my life in so many ways and shown me there is sun shining behind those dark clouds. 11

FEATURES

p i r T m a A Dre

fish were caught with arguments flowing as to who caught the biggest (I still think it was mine). To complete the West Palm Beach experience, the boys decided to go for another hit of golf, and since I had never golfed before I thought it was in order for me to tow along. The boys were all great golfers, but I needed an immense amount of help and managed to not hit the longest shot but in fact create the deepest bunker. Thank you so much to Robert, Sandy, Harry and Lily for a fantastic visit and welcoming us with open arms into your lovely home. We had a final swim in the pool at the PGA, bumped into a few football and baseball players (as you do!) then it was off to Disneyworld, Orlando.

By Olivia Crisara

th il 20 t n u June lucky 0th 2 m eight f o Fro ne und was o I ly n aro u J aid w lo f ses p rs n e e p g x a all e teen , n an o a c y style i r t i e r b m A cele on true odati n m i m p i tr acco n’t t are -star a 5 h t h s t wi itie mily ortun p p o cal fa i p y and me t my na on a s le a b i , y s pos luck long . I say n o hat a i t a a c f a o v us out ulled giving p , s s r a e w oth the ience seven r e h p t i x w to e ime”. Lifet ance h a c f e th rip o ge “T n e ll a Ch

Rockets, rides and supersize…

The Capital

Let me take you back to the start, back to 20th June, where we waited at the Tullamarine Airport, bags in tow and anticipation by our side. We farewelled our family and friends and anxiously took our seats, and strapped ourselves in for the 2009 Trip of a Lifetime.

We began our voyage in Las Vegas… Some highlights from Vegas were Nascar driving, where we were sped around a racing track at 260/h km; shopping in the outlets (which quickly showed us who the true shopaholics were - not me of course!); a performance of the Blue Man Group (a fantastic Vegas show where three guys covered in blue face paint wowed the crowd as they somehow managed to catch what seemed like a gazillion marshmallow shaped things from one side of the theatre to the other in their mouths); and a small plane trip over the Grand Canyon which left a few of us feeling a little queasy but never the less much worth it once we got to this unbelievable wonder. We also saw a show called Excalibur, where the crowd interact and eat their meals as they would have in the days of the Knights of the Round Table. The boys all cheered for the bad guy (obviously), but Jacynta 12

and I found it more appropriate to cheer for the spunky Norwegian and all the other “hot knights” every time they went past us! In Vegas though, just walking the strip is an experience in itself and we loved gaping up at the amazing hotels which, apart from their bright lights, also had things like water shows set to music; gondola rides around their surrounding canals and even roller coasters! We rounded out our Vegas stay with a trip to the Little White Chapel where Michael Jordan, Joan Collins and Britney Spears were married, to name a few – hilarious!

Off to West Palm Beach… A memory I still laugh at today from West Palm Beach, was when Sonia decided it would be cool to have us standing on the conveyer belt at the airport for a photo. The next thing we knew there was a woman over the speaker saying “there is to be no standing on the conveyor belt”. Ha ha,

bright idea Sonia! This was quickly forgotten about however, when we were picked up outside the airport in a limousine, which was an awesome experience! We stayed at the amazing PGA National Hotel and spent our five sun and fun filled days relaxing, washing clothes (ok, we didn’t wash the clothes, that was left to Dave!), and enjoying countless swims in the pool. That is of course, when we weren’t with Robert Allenby, his wife Sandy and their kids Harry and Lily who we spent each day hanging out with. This might be a good time to introduce the group. The four girls were Jacynta, Brittany, Hayley and I and the four boys were Trent, Dominic, Mark and Jason. So, back in West Palm Beach, the girls and I sunbaked and chatted while the boys went for a hit of golf, and we had an awesome pool/movie night organised by Rob with a few close friends. Our Robert Allenby stay wouldn’t be complete without a fishing trip, so off we went on his boat “C’mon Aussie”. Many humungous

Orlando was incredibly humid, and on our arrival we all agreed it was time to hit up the closest Maccas (which wasn’t very far) and ordered 8 supersize meals! We decided it was only right to place a bet that whoever didn’t finish their supersize meal had to dance in front of Maccas. Proudly all of the girls finished! We dined at the Rainforest Cafe for dinner and then moved onto some shopping in the outlets, where I was personally pleased with some of my purchases. The boys waited quite patiently as the girls and I dumped off load after load to free our hands and purchase more! We went to an alligator reserve for an airboat ride to spot some water beasts. There was thunder and lightening – the perfect setting to make us fear for our lives! There were some up-close encounters with the gators but us girls were a little pre-occupied by the gigantic dragonflies trying to attack us! Next up was a trip to NASA, where we had some pictures on the launch pad which was very, very exclusive and we felt like celebrities! My favourite meal of the whole trip was had in a very classy restaurant called the Moonfish Restaurant. I couldn’t choose what to pick so I left it up to Dave of course. He picked grouper fish for me and it was the best seafood I’ve ever eaten. Jarrod Lyle, a man we have all come to love and are very proud of with his achievements in the pro golfing world, had joined us by this stage of the trip. We were all delighted to get wet again, when Jarrod treated us all to a day at Wet ‘n’ Wild. Fast rides and hunky lifeguards made our day and then it was “See you later Orlando”, as we headed off to the Nation’s capital. 13

FEATURES

A Dream Trip Cliff, Tiger and the White House…

Picked up by Clifford (as I liked to call him) in DC, we quickly got to know our very unique tour guide (Cliff as he prefers to be called, is a very high mover and shaker in the world of Teamsters in the USA). The Liaison Hotel was to be our home for a few days, and the roof-top pool had me feeling like a movie star. We dropped into the Australian Embassy; we visited the Lincoln Memorial and recited the famous words of Martin Luther King – I have a dream – on the front steps overlooking the stretch of water in Forrest Gump, otherwise known as the Reflection Pool. We stopped past the Capitol building where Government sits. We met the greatest sportsman (or at least the one who has earned the most money!!) in the world, Tiger Woods at the tournament he hosts – the AT&T Tournament. We visited the Washington Monument and then said our final farewell to the Allenby’s after a lovely dinner out. The final day in DC coincided with 4th of July celebrations. After a snap at the White House and a relaxing picnic watching the fireworks, we headed off to Cliff’s hometown of New Jersey. I did say that Cliff was our tour guide, and so along the way he told us about how everything that has ever been made or happened, came out of Jersey – he’s very proud! We sung our way to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. We were all very excited to be at our very own private dolphin show. It was then time to hit the Hard Rock Café for some lunch which was one of my favourite restaurants because it contained a whole room dedicated to The Beatles. Very rare memorabilia and photos had me mesmerised, but we couldn’t stay, as it was time to hit the road for Cliff’s hometown!

Honorary Americans… In New Jersey, we strolled on down to the Boardwalk, the place where the majority of the entertainment for the next few days would be, and a few pranks as well! No one was happy when Micka gave me the challenge of waking up early in the morning knocking on everyone’s doors, then 14

Miss Liberty, Mr. Willis and Serendipity…

Mr Golf, Fisherman, Nice guy Robert Allenby!

Now it was time for my squeals to push the boys over the edge, but what can I say, I was so close to the city of my dreams, NYC. New York was to be more intense than any other state we’d visited, and there was not a night of sleep before midnight or a wake up call after 8am. Our home for our stay in New York was the amazing Helmsley Hotel in the heart of Manhattan. A look outside my hotel window left me speechless. Just to get the feel of the city we did a twenty minute cruise over New York via helicopter. I was very happy to see the Strawberry Fields memorial, dedicated to

John Lennon and then I was able to take photos outside his house. We paid a quick visit to the unbelievable Times Square, where the bright lights are blinding – apparently you are only allowed to have a shop in Times Square if you have a neon sign! I was so overwhelmed, I sat on the red steps right in the middle of Times Square for at least forty minutes soaking up my dream, which was now a reality. Next up we took a quick boat ride across to the Statue of Liberty and a visit to the September 11 Museum and Ground Zero. New York’s finest Fire Department, Ladder 24, treated us to an all-American lunch of burgers and dogs followed by a game of basketball. We went to see a Broadway production, the show of the year, Wicked. It was very cool to meet the cast afterwards. I haven’t mentioned shopping for a while but rest assured we got plenty of that in New York. A story I am still laughing about was when we needed to meet Dave at Central Park by a certain time or he was going to chop our heads off. Ceri, Cynta, Britt and myself were casually walking down 5th Avenue when we realised we only had 2 minutes to

Isn't she pretty

jumping on their beds singing, Yellow Submarine by The Beatles – SORRY! Amusement rides, arcade games, and fried everything had us feeling like true Americans. We ventured to the Seaside Heights Water Park and continued having a go at everything the Boardwalk had to offer – we had races down the slides, which naturally Britt and I won numerous times over Mark and Cynta. Me, being the adrenaline junky that I am, went on every ride possible and actually got Cynta to overcome her fear of rides on the Tower of Terror! A party was held for us at the Gilford Park Yacht Club, and we were introduced to Amanda, Jeri and Courtney – my favourite American friends. The state bestowed one of its greatest honours on us by giving us Proclamations of the state. This was very exciting and something we can cherish for the rest of our lives. The only time I was feeling a bit home sick (which was very rare!) was at the yacht club, when the policemen brought over their hound dogs. I missed my dog, so I soaked up all the cuddling I could get with these gorgeous beasts! YAY, it was time to head to my favourite place in the whole entire world – straight to the big lights and buildings of New York City. 15

FEATURES

A Dream Trip meet him. We held hands and ran – and I mean ran – down 5th Avenue, bags in tow, an exhilarating experience! We made it in time thankfully, or it was off with our heads! The NYPD arranged for us to be put on their boats and we sailed around the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge. I couldn’t believe it when we received Proclamations from New York, something to tell my kids about! We even got to the set of The Late Show with David Letterman, and were able to sit in his chair where a happy snap sent us on our way. Dinner that night was at a little Steakhouse where, of course, we were treated like kings and queens. Best cooked steak we have ever had and the seafood was divine. We then visited the movie set of “A Couple of Dicks” starring Bruce Willis and Tracey Morgan. Director Kevin Smith (aka Silent Bob) greeted us and later we were able to meet one Mr. Willis himself. We watched a car chase scene that Bruce was in and he was firing his gun, Die Hard style, which was way too cool, and I even got to sit in the director’s chair and put the head phones on! Next up was a real American ball game – it was time to witness some baseball! I had to get one of those foam fingers of course,

and Dave got us all Mets jerseys with our names on the back, one of my highlights of the trip – I felt like a true blooded American! My favourite dessert of the whole trip was to be had at Serendipity, home of the frozen hot chocolate and gigantic sundaes. It was time for bed and the girls and I needed much beauty sleep for our Gossip Girl photo shoot the next morning. Dressed in our finest – Cynta, Hayzy and I, headed off early to The Palace Hotel, the set of The Gossip Girl TV show. This would have to be one of my favourite highlights of the trip, an unbelievable experience which left me feeling like a real TV star! We headed to the Empire State Building where we soaked up some unbelievable views of the city that never sleeps before hitting the streets of NYC for the final time. My final farewell to Times Square and some group photos led to an emotional night for me. It was time to say goodbye to the concrete jungle where dreams are made, the city that made me feel like there was nothing I couldn’t do, and to the streets that made me feel brand new and the lights that inspired me. It was a teary farewell too, as we all had to say goodbye to Cliff and Nancy who had looked after us so well for the past couple of weeks.

Movie sets and muscle beach in La La Land… After our farewell to New York (which I will undoubtedly return to in years to come) and to Nancy and Cliff, it was a six hour flight to LA. We ventured down to Hollywood Boulevard where I placed my hands into the stars of a few of my idols Frank Sinatra, Sophia Loren and Will Smith. A quick visit down to Venice Beach, also known as Muscle Beach saw the girls and I get matching henna tattoos and I also bought my 435,749,856th pair of sunglasses! Much to my excitement we then hit up the very famous Rodeo Drive, where we window shopped our way from Chanel to Gucci and many other favourite stores. Dave managed to tear us all away and off we went to the Farmer’s Market. Finally after I had driven everybody absolutely insane we finally found Pinkberry – a yoghurt place that I had seen my favourite celebrities eat at on television. We arrived at Paramount Studios for an exclusive tour which took us

I would like to thank everyone involved in the 2009 Trip of a Lifetime. David, Micka, Ceri and Sonia – you parented us when we needed to be put back in line, and you lined up with us when we wanted to go on the scariest rides possible or when we just had to have those shoes! Thankyouthankyouthankyou for giving me the opportunity to explore America, it had always been my dream, and to this day I still can’t believe I have accomplished it. The opportunities, friends and memories I gained will be with me forever and words can’t describe the feelings I felt living my fantasy.

Delivering a gift to the White house

around the studios for a very detailed insight into the entertainment industry. While at Paramount we were very lucky to meet the hugely popular Ray Romano, star of “Everybody Loves Raymond”!! After Paramount we headed to Universal Studios, where once again we were supplied with VIP passes. We all felt extremely important with our passes that said Priority. We bumped into Shrek, and other characters, and a few squeals and a couple of hot dogs later, we found ourselves at the Conan O’Brien show. The show was very amusing but actually sitting down with Conan later for a chat was even better, as the Late Show’s new host talked about the difficulty of his new job. The scariest ride I had been on the whole trip was at California Dreams, a tall building had us flung about going up and down, and then right to the top where we overlooked the whole of LA. We witnessed some unbelievable fireworks at the Disneyland castle, where I felt like a five year old girl again as I watched a Disney princess fairytale come to life. Jacynta and I couldn’t help ourselves, we had to go on the famous tea cup ride! During dinner that night, Dave toasted the crew on a wonderful trip 16

and wished everyone the best of luck for the future. The next day, our last in the USA, we visited the studio where “The Simpsons” is made, and shared an early dinner (Mexican of course, my new found love) with Harry Shearer, the voice of Mr. Burns, Smithers, and about 18 other characters from the show. One final pack up of our suitcases and then it was off to the airport for our journey home. Tears flowed for me for two reasons: I said my final goodbyes to my American family and I was back in Australia. The reality had hit me that I couldn’t stay in New York forever. We all headed home after 30 jam-packed days of laughter and once in a lifetime opportunities, 7 amazing US cities, the best bagels ever and a lot of fun in the sun.

Lastly to Jacynta, Hayley, Brittany, Trent, Mark, Dom, and Thommo (Jason) – what an amazing experience we all shared together. I couldn’t think of 7 people I would have wanted more standing next to me as we shook hands with Tiger Woods or explored Times Square with. I have made some very special friends forever, and experiences we had and friendships we made will always be the drive that pushes me that extra mile. Thank you Challenge, you have changed my life forever. The impact you have had on me continues to force my dreams to get bigger and bigger. Since 1991 Challenge has been conducting the Trip of a Lifetime. The support that we have received in this time has been outstanding and this year, more than any other, there were a number of people who made the trip possible. I’d like to personally thank each and every person who assisted us in making the dreams of these kids come true on this trip. To our very special friends in the USA, in particular to Cliff and Nancy and the Teamster Union, there are no words to adequately express our sincere appreciation for everything you do for us. The story told by Olivia is only a snapshot of everything that took place, but its sentiment is one that is echoed by each and every teenager who has ever participated in the Challenge Trip of a Lifetime. David Rogers Challenge CEO 17

A Sur

Camps

By J

osh

Thumbs up for Surf Camp!

Edw

ards

f Ch

Day One

fun and we learnt so many things that we would never have known before, but it was so tiring at the same time.

On the first day of the Challenge Surf Camp, my sister and I met the group of kids and leaders at La Porchetta in Geelong because we live much closer to there than Melbourne. We had a quick dinner, which included lots of nice tasty pizza and soft drink, and spent time getting to know the leaders and the other kids; they were so nice and we had lots to chat about. We then headed off on the buses down the Great Ocean Road to Lorne.

After surfing we went to a bakery for lunch. It was so yum and we were able to choose anything in the bakery we wanted! The rest of the day we had a choice of watching some movies in our room, swimming in the pool, having a hit of tennis, checking out the shops, visiting the beach or trampolines, or just having a look around in Lorne. I went for a look in the shops and then I watched a movie in my room with some of the other boys. That night we went to the movies to see “Avatar” which was great.

We arrived in Lorne at about 9.00pm and got allocated to our rooms. I shared a room with three other boys and a leader, and got to know one of the other boys really well so we had a great time together. Before bed I went to help pick out the selection of goodies for our room, which included chips, chocolate, cordial and shapes – I felt so spoilt. At this point it was time for bed, because the next day was an early start – we were going surfing! We were looking forward to it…

Day Two We had set our alarm for 7:00 am and then all had a breakfast of toast and cereal in Jaime’s room. After breakfast it was just a short walk down to the beach where we met our surf instructors from Go Ride a Wave. The guys were all so nice, and they gave us each a wetsuit to put on and a surfboard to carry down to the water, as it was time to hit the beach! On the beach we had a quick lesson and a few tips on how to surf, before heading into the chilly waves. The next two hours of surfing was so much 18

! e g n e l l a

Camps

Day Three It was another early start to the day as we made a stop at the Lorne Lions Club for a delicious breakfast of bacon and eggs, fresh fruit and toast, which was fantastic. Once we were full, we hopped back into the buses and headed to the beach. The surfing was more tiring the second day than the first but the tips and practice from the day before helped us heaps as we spent more time in the water. Some of us ended up body surfing the big waves. It was the end of the surfing, and after thanking our awesome instructors, we grabbed our bags and loaded back onto the buses for the drive to Torquay for lunch. When we got to Torquay we had some really yum fish and chips and were then free to check out the surf shops. The group then went on to King Pin at Crown for some ten-pin bowling, but my sister and I said goodbye in Torquay. I had a wonderful time at the Surf Camp, it was the best. Thank you Challenge, for giving us this great opportunity! 19

p m a C p m a C r o JJuunniior Camps

Camps

By Kimberley Hynes

The sun was shining brightly on a Saturday morning in August for what would mark the beginning of an exciting weekend, jam-packed with activities. After meeting the other leaders at Challenge House, we scoured the crowd of children and parents for our campers, which proved difficult amongst the pink backpacks and High School Musical sleeping bags. With Junior Camp being my first camp as a Challenge volunteer, I think I was just as nervous as some of the parents, but the stomach butterflies immediately flew away when I met my two campers, who were simply gorgeous! Before I could ask “who’s Hannah Montana?” It was time to board the buses and head off to our first destination. We spent the morning at an indoor play centre, where the children (and some of the leaders!) ran wild. I think I used just about every muscle group in my body as we played chasey, climbed up ladders, crawled through impossible spaces and yahooed down the slides – phew! Many of us were exhausted and it wasn’t even lunchtime yet! After a bite to eat, it was time to leave. The campers piled into the bus in high spirits, with a rosy glow in their cheeks, eagerly anticipating what other activities were in store for them at Camp Manyung. After countless “Are we there yets?” we finally arrived at Camp Manyung and were assigned our cabins. Naturally the leaders are always dealt the short straw with a bottom bunk, whilst the kids rule the top bunks. Once we had settled in, it was time to partake in the activities planned for the afternoon. We experimented with vibrant colours of sand to create unique works of art in the crafts room. In the games hall, we pretended the parachute was the sea; one camper was a fish, and another was a fisherman eager to 20

Long lasting friendships

Will the real Hannah Montana please stand up?

catch something for dinner – and on most occasions (apart from some awesome escapes), he didn’t leave empty-handed! In the dining hall, aspiring master chefs created master mess as they made play-dough and chocolate crackles, and decorated biscuits with every type of lolly imaginable. Then there was free time and the kids could choose from the petting zoo, flying fox, pony rides and jumping castle – or, they could choose to participate in all of the activities! Seeing the campers’ cheesy grins as they rode the flying fox was a definite highlight. However, I didn’t fancy running back up the hill to return the swing each time…

The shrill of the bell signalled dinnertime and we were treated with chicken schnitzel and chips (oh, and some veggies too, of course). After tea, we watched “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa,” which received plenty of giggles and then audible yawns as the closing credits started to roll. We then dragged our feet back to our cabins to rest our tired bodies before another early start on Sunday. Rise and shine! It was another beautiful day at Camp Manyung, and after breakfast we all headed down to the games hall. Within groups, the campers competed against other teams in a series of relays that saw some remarkable performances of pancake flipping, sack racing and bean bag snatching. Whilst some leaders were very competitive and influenced the results somewhat (ahem, Micka), I’ll take an unbiased view and declare that every team was a winner. And then for the much anticipated surprise… COSTUMES! Thanks to Challenge, in liaison with the parents, the kids

were transformed into Hannah Montana’s, Ninja Turtles and fairytale princesses. There was a real buzz in the air as they put on their costumes, lined up to have their faces painted and posed for the camera. In the meantime, the piercing sirens and flashing lights of a fire engine truck and police car descended on Camp Manyung. I was secretly envious as the kids were appointed firemen and constables for the morning and took turns to ride in the vehicles and operate the fire hose. After the excitement of the morning’s activities, we were treated with a very entertaining magic show by the one and only Crazy Pete. His tricks left many of us scratching our heads, as he pulled things out of nowhere and read our minds. However, our rumbling bellies were no trick and after the show, the parents met with their children and shared a barbeque lunch with all the leaders. Pretty soon it was time for the campers to collect their bags and say goodbye to Camp Manyung. What a fantastic weekend! A huge thank you to everyone at Challenge who made Junior Camp possible, and for making my first Challenge camp experience truly memorable. Oh, and I learnt a fair bit about who Hannah Montana is too! 21

Camps

Lucky w e all br ought ja was fre ckets a ezing. S nd blan o me fish to warm kets ‘ca and ch us up b use it ips for ut waitin water w dinner g for th as reall h elp e peng y cold. saw the uins alo ed Not tha penguin ng the t we ca s cute! It red wh was a la walk towards en we u te s we wen – they were so t straigh night by the ti me we t to cam anothe got hom p to sle r big da e but ep and y. get rea When I d y for was told we wer the boy e going s were to the M going to but it tu CG I th have m rned ou ought o re fun th t I was the ‘G a w a n the g r nd saw ong. W irls e got a some o and eve q f the G n got to rand Fin uick tour of walk on went to al prep a bit of this sec aratio the MC tion of got to p G. We th ns the Spo lay a he rts Mus en ap of d scores eum wh ifferent or resu e r s e p lts on th you orts an in footy d were e way th pretend given rough. ing I wa bulls-ey I kicked s Richo e in the a goal and the archery n shot . Very ta a lented Read on I am! …

By Olivia Gillis

I olidays rban h l o o h eU er sc halleng eptemb C S g gh e n h o t l In ily enou e weekn n e u h f t – d ed nw attende we stay n Camp! Whe e r e h w a d Urb e other Camp, e h l t l a d c n a e lac ers ny. – at a p ur lead o t e was Jen m r e e d w a e d yl arrive roup. M about 6 g r u o ps, with allenges n i u o r s g d i r k h ge some c into big

Taking over the

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Camps

After such a busy morning we needed to relax a little that afternoon so kite making was the perfect activity. We all got to design our own kites and then flew them in the park later that afternoon. Just to mix things up a bit we tried our hand at some circus skills with juggling, devil sticks and a heap of other things which took a bit of practice to get used to. It was lots of fun. The following morning, after yet another beautifully cooked breakfast of bacon and eggs, pancakes and toast, we went to the wave pool at MSAC. It was so cool the waves got so high just like being at the beach but without the sand. It was also freezing outside and the pool was heated so we were always warm. We did some handstands and diving competitions in between wave pool sessions. That was a great way to warm up for the City Chase in the afternoon. The City Chase was Challenge’s version of the Amazing Race but so much more awesome and we didn’t have to fly around the world (although that would have been good too!) The City Chase was so much fun. Working in teams we had to follow the clues all over the city- we saw so much of Melbourne from Birrarung Marr to Young & Jacksons! 3 hours later we finished the course and were almost ready to hit our beds. But it was only 4.30pm in the afternoon and there was still more to do. That night, we slept at the Melbourne Museum with all the artefacts, which was so freaky but cool as well. We slept amongst the dinosaur exhibit and of course watched “Night at the Museum 2”. Just as we all rested our weary heads on the pillow, a little dinosaur came flying out of nowhere and woke us all up. Not cool Anthony (that is what we named the dinosaur!) We had a delicious breakfast the following morning and sadly had to leave the coolest hotel ever before they opened up to the general public!

On Thursday we went to the Melbourne Zoo and the animals were so cute. We got to walk around the Zoo first and look at all our favourites. I reckon my leader looked like a bear with a sore head when she woke up but never told her that of course! Just as lunch started the rain came pouring down so hard that everyone huddled into a little corner so we didn’t get wet. Even the birds DUCKed for cover!! Thankfully it stopped after lunch and we went and played with some of the lizards, snakes and stick insects. They were very cool to touch although I was a little scared they might try to bite me. We were assured that would never happen. That night we went down to the Yarra for a river cruise. As our boat went up and down the Yarra River we danced and sung at the top of our lungs for all the locals to hear. It was lots of fun and having birthday cake and lollies to eat to get our energy back really helped! One more night to go then sadly it was time to go back to boring school holidays at home. To top off an amazing week we went to the Royal Melbourne Show. It was the best of all of the things we did in my opinion. I went on nearly all the rides and didn’t get sick once. For some reason the bad weather followed us all week, but even though it rained we still did all the rides and powered through. Getting some showbags as we left was a bonus for a great day. Thanks to everyone at Challenge especially all the wonderful leaders who helped us out over the week. It was a great way to have fun on my holidays and I would do Urban Camp again next year and the year after and the year after and… I think you get the point!

Kids

& by Meaghan and Georgia Vogelsang

I’ve been on a couple of camp with Challenge but my sister Georgia’s only been on one, Junior Camp, so we were really excited about this camp because we were going together.

We arrived at Sovereign Hill Lodge and set up our beds. No we weren’t sleeping in tents, we were in bunk rooms. I loved where we slept.

We’ve been to Sovereign Hill before, so we’d been trying to think of where we’d be sleeping. We hoped it wasn’t in the tents near the Gold diggings! Maybe it would be in the houses on the hill near the old school…

Some of us got to go to the old school in Sovereign Hill and dress up in olden day clothes. It was great and I really liked seeing Charlie the donkey on the way to “school”. Leader Tracey was a naughty girl at school and got into trouble, she also tried to trip me when we were skipping with the rope!

Our first stop was at Donegan’s Farm, where there were animals, animals and more animals! Both Georgia and I loved the baby chicks; they were so soft and there was so many I was sure they wouldn’t miss a couple. I tried to put some under my hat, but as I was walking out the farmer asked me why I was holding onto my hat!

Friday night we had dinner at the Sebastopol Fire Station, where at least we didn’t have to worry if anyone set fire to the BBQ! Georgia and I went up in the cherry picker that the firemen use to rescue people. We looked over the roof of the fire station just in time to see Micka throw the Frisbee, right into a puddle!

We saw sheep being shorn, some kids milked a cow, others were squirted with the milk. I didn’t want to milk the cow, because the udder is too close to the “udder” area and I didn’t want to get pooped on!

Saturday morning we had rides in horse and carriages, on motorbikes, in trucks and in limousines! I felt like I was Hannah Montana. … Continued next page

Camps

Challenge Camps A parent’s perspectiv e

we couldn’t go and spent the afternoon at the local YMCA. We had a go on all the equipment and Georgia loved swinging on the rings and showing off her muscles, while I loved jumping on the trampolines and landing in the foam pit.

Saturday afternoon saw us flying high, literally. We were taken up for a joy flight in light planes. I got to “drive” the plane while it was in the air. The boys in the back thought they were “going to die” because I was “driving”. When we weren’t flying we were watching Irish dancing and a magic show, eating snow cones and pancakes, making Christmas decorations, posing for caricatures, or playing in a “road safety” truck. Saturday evening we went to Fun Bugs Indoor Play Centre, where they had huge slides, bouncing castles and heaps more. We loved it!

I enjoyed seeing Blood on the Southern Cross on Sunday night, but I got a bit scared. When I told the policeman I was scared, he told me “you’ve got better protection than the Queen Meaghan, so nothing’s going to happen to you”. Lee, one of the Ballarat helpers had told me he had acted in the show before and that it wasn’t scary.... fibber! Monday was our last day, boo hoo! Still we managed to fit lots more fun in before getting home. We played mini-golf at the Big Miner, had lunch at Maccas, and had ice cream in the park before heading back to Challenge House.

Sunday morning we went swimming at the University’s indoor pool. There was a big inflatable crocodile and we had to walk or crawl across it. I made it across 22 times without falling off, but on the 23rd try they shook the crocodile to make sure I fell off. It was loads of fun.

We’d like to say a big THANK YOU to all the people involved in the weekend, all the cool leaders including annoying Ben 10, Micka the nose picker, the police men and women for their royal security, and the entire Ballarat community for providing us with such an awesomely, cool camp.

We were supposed to spend Sunday afternoon at Sovereign Hill, but due to the non-stop rain (which the locals loved)

Camp means getting away from the parents and having lots of fun with friends.

FUNDRAISING

Going Troppo at the Challenge Ball By Leesa Gathercole

Tom Gleisner learns the tango

The annual Challenge Ball was held at the Hilton on the Park on a balmy night in October. The theme for this year’s Ball was “Cococabana” and once again the night was a huge success. To start the night off, two cococabana dancers danced their way around the dance floor before finishing up having a boogie with Tom Gleisner, our MC for the night. It didn’t take long for Velvet Corporation to get everyone up and dancing. The dance floor was a sea of people all night long. At one stage Challenge CEO David Rogers was even up on stage playing the bongos! The silent & main auctions were a huge success, raising much needed funds for Challenge. Auction items included V8 Hot Laps, a corporate box to see Andre Rieu, monitored home alarm system, beauty products, sports memorabilia, electrical goods, a boat cruise, VIP Fleetwood Mac tickets, dinner vouchers, toys and many more quality items. Organising an event like this is no easy task. Challenge staff, committee members, volunteers and sponsors work tirelessly to make sure the night runs smoothly and to also maximise fundraising opportunities. Funds raised on the night allow Challenge to keep doing what Challenge does best – supporting sick kids and their families. Each year the Hilton kindly reduced room rates for Ball guests and plenty took up the offer. It’s always nice to push the lift button and go upstairs to one of the plush hotel rooms after a big night, and breakfast is always interesting the following morning. You can always tell who had one or two too many drinks the night before...

The grinning winners

A big thank you to all of our very generous sponsors. Several sponsors have been supporting this event for many, many years and without their continued support it wouldn’t be possible to run an event like this. Thank you to Zest Bars for donating the delicious cocktails in flashing glasses, Velvet Corporation for the great music (and giving many ladies sore feet...), Yering Station for the premium wine, ALH Group for the beer and Hilton on the Park. Huge thanks to all of the companies, families and friends who donated items for the silent and main auctions. Mick Trezise from Williamstown Charters has donated a boat cruise for the main auction for many, many years, helping to raise thousands of dollars. Coles Myer and NAB staff donate gift vouchers for the key draw each year, which adds so much to the night’s success. Thank you to everyone who donated services or items. As a committee member, it’s always challenging trying to get a good variety of auction items, as it’s hard asking the same people to donate year after year. So if you have any contacts or would like to donate auction items for next year’s Challenge Ball, no matter how big or small, please contact Challenge. Thank you to all who attended and made this night a huge success.

Save the Date This year’s Challenge Ball promises to be another fantastic night in support of Challenge. The event will be held on Saturday October 2nd 2010 at the Hilton on the Park. For more information about this event phone us on 03 9329 8474.

See you all on the dance floor next year. 28

In the know with Poh

ou Y t Don’ It’s Know ic! Mag

Up, Up and Away!

Mesmerizing

Crazy Pete!

Yippee Yi Yay!

Getting historical at Cops n Kids camp

Call me crazy, but there is only one entertainer I would ever want at my child’s birthday party and he’s known as Crazy Pete. More than 20 years ago, a young girl named Lucy asked if I knew anybody who could pull a rabbit from a hat – it was all she wanted and what a challenge it was to find the talented person who could do that! In the end I found Bingo the Clown and the rabbit was pulled out of a mini “rabbit shower” and not a hat, but the smile on Lucy’s face and the pure joy it gave her to watch the magic was absolutely wonderful. Since that time, Crazy Pete (as Bingo is now known) has provided fun and entertainment at Challenge camps, visited hospital and Challenge Playgroup, and in some cases even visited houses for a private show. Pete is an amazing person who has always provided Challenge kids, volunteers and families with the best possible experiences, which leave them both in fits of laughter and in awe at what they’ve seen. I know at one particular Junior Camp Pete had his audience so enthralled that one young man wet his pants at the excitement of what he was seeing! At another of his shows he so mesmerised one volunteer that she wouldn’t let him leave until she had examined his sleeves and pockets! 30

Best cakes are at Playgroup – Happy Birthday

Hanging with Andy Lee

Hopping mad!

I truly believe it would be an understatement to say Pete is one of the best sleight-of-hand magicians in the country. Why am I writing about Pete? Well because he has given so much to everyone at Challenge and has not charged us for one performance in 20 years! He has been so generous that I think a little indulgent promotion on my part to Challenge family and friends is the least we can offer Pete in return. So if you need an entertainer for kids and adults alike, Pete is your man. To Crazy Pete, you are an amazing man and the smiles you’ve created will live with us forever. The tricks and the memories are as vivid in our minds today as the first time you entertained us. If you organise him, you won’t be disappointed!

Weeeeeeee!!!!

Mmmmmm.......

Gazing on the Green Challenge Ball glamour! The Buck stops with him I thought camp was for the kids!

I told you I support the Rabbitohs! Starting six Adventurers

Mum time @ Playgroup

Wiii have it all at Urban Camp

Learning to golf with Jarrod Lyle

At the ‘G

Now that’s a knife

Fairy’s Twinkletoes & Emily Your eye in the sky!

FUNDRAISING

AWU Geelong golf day The next James ‘Bubba’ Stewart?

t s i t r A n

Crafty Cuts at Playgroup

Chicken Little

We heart New York!

All smiles Meeting Kel at Robert Allenby golf day

I stole Santas hat

ways than one…

What do Bocelli, Pavarotti, George Benson and Chris Isaak have in common? Well, they have all performed exclusively for Challenge, through the very generous support of Andrew McManus and his company Andrew McManus Presents. Andrew has been an absolutely amazing supporter and wonderful friend of the Challenge program, even opening his home to us for our Fairy Days, which have been so popular and enchanting.

Magic teacups at the Christmas Party

Pizza Friday

in more

During one of our regular catch ups in 2009, I was explaining to Andrew that the global financial crisis was having a big impact on our programs and services, and within days he was back on the phone suggesting a series of concerts with Chris Isaak to raise funds for Challenge.

What seems an easy task is certainly not by any means, and once Andrew had convinced Chris to come on board there was plenty of work to be done before the actual concerts… It was an honour to have an international artist like Chris come on board to support Challenge and he was happy to help. He even suggested auctioning off a guitar at each show that he would personally draw on and sign! Chris is an outstanding artist with a huge fan base, so it was no surprise that the winning bidders were thrilled with their guitars and subsequent meeting with him. From the outside looking in, it may seem that things like the Chris Isaak concerts just happen for Challenge, but that is most definitely not the case. Opportunities such as these are only made possible when a whole lot of factors come into play apart from the artists agreeing to perform at no cost, including finding venues that will host the act and having faith that the general public will buy plenty of tickets. The concerts were a huge success and the monies raised will help Challenge to continue providing much-needed support programs and services. We cannot thank Chris and everyone at Andrew McManus Presents enough for their support. Rock On!! 35

FUNDRAISING

Ride 4 Kids

2009

Australian Workers Unite to Support Challenge!

By Matt Manning

Since 2002 the Australian Workers’ Union and their members have been amazing supporters of Challenge.

With just the right amount of rain in the lead up to the 2009 KTM Ride 4 Kids Motocross event, the participants, sponsors and supporters arrived in big numbers anticipating a perfect day. The Enduro loop had a new look and direction whilst the MX track was muddy and standing by for the mud hungry throttle jockeys – perfect! The State Motorcycling Complex at Broadford was once again set to turn it on for a big day. The first sessions got under way a bit sporadically but soon settled into a regular rhythm with almost 250 riders carving it up in both disciplines. The MX track proved extremely challenging for the young tackers, with a lot of them being pulled out of ten inch deep mud on more than one occasion. The bigger bored bikes lapped it up with our Pro riders making it look like a casual Sunday ride. By now the funds started to roll in and the hunt was on for our class winners and the coveted overall 1st place for the event’s highest fundraiser. We didn’t have to wait too long before we identified an overall and outstanding winner. Young Wangaratta grommet Joshua Dowell blew the field away with an unprecedented $16,000 raised. It almost brought a tear to my eye when I read this effort out at presentation time. What was even more remarkable was that almost all the funds raised came from Josh or his own 36

ideas. What a remarkable young man. For Josh’s efforts he took away with him the all new 2010 KTM 200EXC electric start 2 stroke motorbike, proudly and kindly donated by KTM Australia. To captivate fans during the lunch time break, Pro riders Cameron Taylor and Cheynne Boyd threw it down in an awesome 20 minute “Expression Session” on the SX track. Fans loved it and the boys did too. Riding sessions went well into the afternoon, with every single rider getting more ride time than ever before. Many were almost too exhausted to talk by the end of the day… This year in addition to participants’ fundraising efforts, families, friends and supporters of Challenge contributed to funds raised by selling Ride 4 Kids raffle tickets to everyone they knew. Up for grabs were some awesome prizes, including the major prize of a trip for two to Las Vegas to watch the Rockstar Energy Drink Supercross. All in all the 2009 KTM Ride 4 Kids was an enormous success, providing almost limitless ride time whilst raising almost $45,000 towards Challenge’s outstanding support programs and services. Thank you so much to everyone who assisted in making the day such a huge success, including KTM, Challenge volunteers and all of the enthusiastic riders. Until next year’s event…

Each year they invite their members to raise money at their work place and also attend their two annual AWU Golf Challenges in Melbourne and Geelong. To honour the achievements of these companies, the AWU and Challenge have established the Challenge Cup, a trophy that is awarded to the highest fundraiser each year. Companies all over Victoria have been honoured with the award and in 2009 the competition was fierce! Kicking off at Moonah Links on the Mornington Peninsula, the Melbourne Office Golf Day was a huge success, with perfect weather and football legend Brian Taylor entertaining the troops at lunch and giving his insight into the 2009 AFL season. AWU president Dick Gray is a passionate supporter of Challenge and always puts a lot of effort in to make sure everyone has a fantastic time. The results are obvious, with companies returning year after year to enjoy the day. Similarly Gavin and Tanya at the Geelong office have built their golf day up to be a must on the golfing calendar for all members in their area. Once again this year The Sands Resort in Torquay was the stage for another great success and it was fantastic to see John Blackman back as our MC hot on the heels of his successful return to TV with the Hey

Hey crew. John treated guests to some classic one-liners and gave an absolute shellacking to some of the more “inexperienced” golfers! After a difficult financial year it was great to see the member companies of the AWU continuing to dig deep to support our programs. This support was highlighted at the AWU Annual Ball in October, where Bombardier Transport in Dandenong walked away as the highest fundraiser for the year, taking out the prestigious Challenge Cup. Australian Super, Me Bank, Maurice Blackburn, Save our Kids, IUS and AFCC were also awarded with appreciation plaques for their outstanding efforts. Challenge would like to sincerely thank the AWU and all of their member companies that continue to support us and we hope to see them all out in force next year. 37

FUNDRAISING

’ e g n e l l a h C ‘ s ’ Karen e g n e l l a h C r o f

ad By Karen Mo

FUNDRAISING

The Association that Cares… The Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) has been a long-time supporter of the Challenge organisation. Throughout 2009 they held a number of events to raise funds that would help continue our very important work. The whole finance industry has suffered greatly through the global financial crisis, however this did not deter the MFAA from putting together two major functions both of which were very successful.

I started my business at the age of 19, working endless hours on establishing and growing a very successful café, Rivers’ with my partner. We then purchased a rural property 8 years later and took on the project of owner/building our own house as well as running a small farm. Life gets busy and it’s easy to lose focus on what is really important. For me, having your health and being happy is the key. You can get so wrapped up in work and everyday life and forget that there are plenty of people who don’t have these incredibly important things and who desperately need the help of others. On April 13th 2006 I turned 30. For some reason this saw a change of direction in my life... my outlook, my views and thoughts on so many things changed. I sat down and scratched out the beginnings of a ‘bucket list’... a list which encompassed a whole range of things that I wanted to do or achieve before I died. I have always been an ambitious person and for me this was no different to any other thing that I had taken on or decided to do in my life. One of the things on my bucket list was to raise a considerable amount of money for someone who really needed it. I decided that I needed to research a number of charities and to find one which I thought was the right fit for me and what I wanted to do. After talking to some friends and looking onto a number of websites I soon discovered that ‘Challenge’ seemed to fit my criteria. I made a few calls and was also fortunate to be put in touch with Craig & Leesa Gathercole who lived locally to me and only minutes away from Rivers. They chatted to me about Challenge and all the things that it had offered and continued to offer them and their family with the illness of their son, Thomas. It was after that I realised that my 38

goal needed to be put into action straight away. Within a couple of weeks I had prepared my plan and by using the strength of our business behind me, launched my campaign to raise $20,000 in four months. I approached our key suppliers for help and with the fantastic support of Challenge, customers, staff, family and friends the money started rolling in.

The first event of the year was the “Footy Finals Spectacular”, held at the Waterside Hotel. Collingwood great and Challenge Ambassador Tony Shaw, along with 3AW’s Tony Leonard, ex-Carlton champ Anthony Koutoufides, and AFL umpire Ray Chamberlain sat on a panel and discussed the 2009 Finals series. The panel was split on who they thought would win the Grand Final, however they were right about the two teams that would make it to compete on the big day!

On the day an auction was held and guests were able to bid on signed jumpers of the eight finalist teams. The second event of the year was the annual MFAA Golf Day which was held at the Sandhurst Golf Club. This has traditionally been the major fundraising effort for the MFAA over the past ten years and has raised more than $160,000 for Challenge – an outstanding achievement. We’d like to thank Glenn Mitchell and his committee for once again supporting the work of Challenge. It is greatly appreciated and the monies make a huge impact on our program. Special thanks also to Andrea Lewis, who does an amazing job behind the scenes. I can only hope that 2010 is an easier year for the finance industry and that they will look favourably upon continuing their support of the Challenge organisation.

‘Rivers of Yarrambat’ consists of a garden centre, gift shop, café & providore and health and wellbeing centre. Its annual promotional event in November seemed like the perfect time to set my target and to have the money raised by this date. My promise was that I would shave my hair off for this cause as long as the $20,000 was reached and on the 15th November I am proud to say that this was reached and in fact, exceeded. ‘Rivers Carnivale Weekend’ saw perfect weather with entertainment, kids rides, face painters, an animal farm, reptile show, a Challenge auction, my head shave and the appearance and support of challenge CEO Dave Rogers, Sam McOrist and celebrities including Tony Shaw and Tom Gleisner. Shaving my head was really no sacrifice at all, but it did stop people and make them think. My goal was successful. I am so grateful for the wonderful help of so many people to assist me reach my goal and I know that the money raised is going to such a worthy cause. Things don’t stop from here though. I am continuing my fundraising and will now make it a part of my everyday life in the endeavour to help others. Tick another thing off the bucket list. 39

Activities

Christmas

fun With all this action and the special arrival of Santa still to come, it was easy to build up an appetite and of course Challenge was well prepared to satisfy the hunger. With everything from gourmet wood fired pizzas, Four ‘N Twenty pies and pasties, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, ice creams and drinks galore, everyone found something to satisfy their craving. But where to next? With so many fun activities, eating was just a distraction! There were faces to be painted, a handball competition and Indian Tony’s beading tepee to visit - the hardest part was trying to squeeze everything in!

With the overcast sky clearing after a night of rain, and so many rides and food stalls ready for action, everyone was in for a treat at the Sandown Racecourse, as the much anticipated Challenge Christmas Party kicked off. With so many familiar faces to catch up with and so many rides to have a spin on, the crowds poured through the gates, with kids and adults alike excited about the festivities. With a huge inflatable crocodile and super slide greeting people at the gates everyone knew they were in for a big day and that was just the beginning! With everything from dodgem cars, party machine, The Scorpion, bungee trampolines, and a massive ferris wheel there was something for everyone to enjoy.

Although all the rides were heaps of fun, everyone was really here to catch a glimpse of the man himself - Santa! A rumble could be heard in the distance with a Harley announcing the much anticipated (and very stylish) arrival of Santa. Once he took his rightful place amongst the many Christmas presents, kids of all ages lined up to have a word about what they were hoping for on the “big day” and to confirm whether they had been bad or good. With a chance to catch up with friends, old and new, the Challenge Christmas Party was a day of celebration and fun for the whole family. Challenge would like to sincerely thank Four ‘N Twenty, Krispy Kreme, Coca Cola, Bulla Dairy Foods, Piero Sgarioto from Pizza at Home, Event Catering Solutions, Crosscom, our very talented group of face painters, Indian Tony, Kevin Moore, all of the Cadillac and Cobra Car drivers and Harley riders for their generosity and support. We would also like to especially thank our wonderful volunteers for their help on the day. We look forward to another great day in December!

The animal farm with its furry and feathered friends was a big hit with the littlies, along with the tiny railway that choo-chooed along happily all day. For those old enough to take the speed to the next level, the first point of call was the Harleys, Cadillacs and other hotted up cars that were ready to take passengers for a spin in style. 40

Activities

y a D s ’ Adam

Adam’s Day was created a number of years ago as a day for families to celebrate the life of a child they lost to cancer, in an informal way. Extended family and close friends were also invited to join in on a day that allowed families to remember the good times they had with their child, in an atmosphere that was relaxing and fun. This year we were delighted to have many families and their friends come to share their stories in their own way. The North Fitzroy Lawn Bowls Club was the perfect venue, with some families choosing to test their bowling arms, others finding a comfortable spot on the grass for a drink and the rest choosing a quiet chat with other families. The weather was gorgeous, the barbeque delicious and a few wonderful volunteers gave up their time with some crazy games to entertain the youngsters on the day. Every

family has their own way they choose to reflect on their loved one and it was fantastic to see each family do just that, with some even bringing along photos to share with others, and some families just content to enjoy the day’s atmosphere with their own family and friends. Challenge is now putting together personalised photo books to honour the children of our bereaved families. Please contact the office if you are interested in learning more about these books. Thanks to all who came to Adam’s Day this year, it was lovely to see everyone and to remember those kids that we loved so dearly and still think about all the time.

Up, Up and away

it’s the Challenge Movie Day

For those of our parents who attend the Challenge Ball each year, we really must look at trying to change the date of our Movie Day so it’s not the Sunday after such a big night! Regardless of how much everyone had partied the night before, many parents still got out of bed much earlier than they would have liked so their family wouldn’t miss a movie as great as Up! 300 eager Challenge members packed the Greater Union cinemas in Russell Street to watch the lovable but at times grumpy Grandpa Carl and very enthusiastic Junior

Wilderness Explorer Russell venture from the USA to South America to fulfill a lifelong dream. Naturally it isn’t all smooth sailing as their mode of transport – a house with thousands of helium balloons tied to it – gets into trouble and they meet a bad guy who was once a good guy who …. I should stop now before I give anymore of the movie away! Needless to say lots of popcorn and coke was consumed and the movie was thoroughly enjoyed by all with lots of laughter echoing through the cinema at regular intervals. Many thanks to Christina and all the wonderful staff at Greater Union for their continued support of Challenge.

HOSPITAL HAPPENINGS

HospitHaapplenings

The last few months at the Children’s definitely haven’t been quiet – you just have to read the “Please Sir, Can I Have Some More?” and “Food Glorious Food” articles to get some insight into the cooking spectaculars we have been involved with – and that’s just the start!

Food Glorious

Food

For the last few months, Challenge has been joined by Piero (aka “The Pizza Guy”) from Pizza@home who treats the families on the 6th floor to pizzas galore. On the first Friday of every month Piero arrives with his little red pizza oven and a couple of hours later, more than 20 delicious homemade pizzas have been hand-made and served to some very happy kids and parents! Thanks so much to Piero and to everyone from the Foodservice Industry Association who support him in making Pizza Friday such a huge hit, especially Carol Rothschild. Last month Mary from Trampoline made a special visit to see how popular her crazy flavours of “Spotty Dog”, “Chocolate Therapy” and “Open Sesame” (to name just a few) are on the ward. She wasn’t disappointed, as she watched throngs of children bombard the esky to taste the many ice creams and gelatos on offer. Another successful day at the office...

All year, Krispy Kreme has continued to support Challenge, filling the tummies of kids in hospital on a monthly basis, and their delicious treats have yet to disappoint! We do get a little worried when it’s the dads asking more often for the doughnuts with sprinkles than the little kids, but who are we to judge?!

The boys leapt at the chance to come in and show off their culinary skills, offering to make fresh pasta and sauce with the kids. During the show they were asked to list the 17 ingredients in a sauce as part of a challenge – this was the sauce they made for us and just quietly, those lucky enough to taste it thought it was delicious. There certainly seemed to be more than 17 flavours in there...

Rachel and the girls from Trading Faces also continued their monthly pampering of our mums, visiting to offer some relaxation just when it was most needed. Manicures have become popular, although the girls might be out of a job if young Ben has anything to do with it – painting his mum’s nails very accurately and boy did she look gorgeous afterwards! Mermaid Jade and Pickles the Clown also paid us a visit and they certainly achieved their goal of bringing smiles to faces, with a variety of magic and tricks to entertain their young audience. Somehow Mermaid Jade made a cake out of just milk that also disappeared in a pot and Pickles the Clown kept on breaking his magic wand while doing tricks. Very amusing indeed! If you would like to borrow DVDs, PS2s, X-Box consoles or use one of the Challenge laptops with Vodafone Internet access, then make sure you hunt down Micka and ask him. Don’t be a stranger; Challenge is all about making your hospital visits as easy as possible.

To help celebrate our food month at the RCH, Challenge was delighted to invite former MasterChef contestants Brent and Nic to lend a hand.

Nic handled the Bolognaise sauce while Brent made fresh fettuccini. An eager throng of kids helped the boys and the whole ward was soon full of amazing smells (from the sauce!). Both of the former MasterChef contestants were great to watch on TV, but they were even better to watch up close working with the kids. MasterChef contestants cook up some magic

Thank you so much Brent and Nic for your support and from all of us at Challenge, we wish you the best with your chosen career paths. 45

HOSPITAL HAPPENINGS

? e r o m e m o s e v a h I an

Please Sir,

In 2008 Challenge and the teachers at the RCH Education Institute worked together during a month of Olympic themed activities at the Children’s Cancer Centre (CCC).

Time to flip out with pancakes, and for this we had many budding chefs who helped to cook up over 50 pancakes. The Pancake Parlour lost customers that day as word got around about how good these were!

It was a great success and so, with the popularity of the TV series MasterChef, we decided to join forces again to put together a month of cooking activities that had delicious aromas floating through the ward, tantalising taste buds that some kids never knew existed!

The sandwiches were going to be tough to sell to the kids because let’s face it, they don’t sound as exciting as sausage scrolls and cupcakes! But we had 6 different fillings which made our sandwiches (on our own homemade fresh bread!) that little bit tastier. The kids had to think quick if they wanted one though, as the nurses devoured most of them!

The month started with the designing of posters to be displayed around the ward, along with some discussions about healthy eating. Within a week the ward had been transformed into a haven of food facts and terminology and the parent room had been taken over and become the Kids’ Kitchen!

Just cos we like a challenge we thought we’d finish the cooking fortnight with some apple pie and custard. Lucky for us that we got to eat 24 of the finest pies you’ve ever tasted. Getting the pastry right was hard, but yes sir that pastry was spot on by the end. The custard was a bit lumpy but nothing’s perfect… Our Kitchen Ruled before My Kitchen Rules!

For 2 weeks we sifted, stirred, mixed, poured, baked, boiled, sliced, diced, blended and grilled the five different food groups to recreate some delicious new recipes and old family favourites. The week began with a bang, making a Vanilla Fruit Salad so big we didn’t have bowls large enough to mix it up in! Thanks to Melbourne Market Authority and Fresh 2 U, all our fresh fruit and vegetables had been donated, which was fantastic. It seemed the most confusing recipe for the fortnight was the Sausage SCROLLS recipe. No-one had heard of them and kept calling them Sausage Rolls, but they were so much more… There were many apprentice chefs helping out with this one, some who put a lot of thought into presentation and others who figured the more meat they stuffed in the better. Either way, they all tasted great. 46

Everyone loves a cupcake, especially when you have five varieties of icing making them even more desirable! Let’s get one thing straight – Gingerbread Men will always be Gingerbread Men – but to make everyone happy, we made Gingerbread People! In fact, our chefs made gingerbread everything, including animals, shapes and even something resembling a scarecrow. The boys on the ward felt that some “blokey cooking” was in order so we decided to make burgers fit for a king. We won’t let you in on the secret ingredient, but these hamburgers were something to behold. Little did the ward know they were in for a treat, when we were joined by a 3-time finalist and dual Australian champion in the 2005-06 Australian Milkshake Making Championships on Milkshake Day. We worked our way through chocolate, strawberry, caramel, coffee and blue heaven milkshakes for everyone and all were definitely award-winning!

Highlights (and lowlights)… The 4 hours it took to cook over 90 sausage scrolls – if I never saw a scroll again it wouldn’t have been a bad thing! Combining pink icing with orange juice to create “Porange” for our cupcake icing, with the word already spreading. I recently saw a cooking show in Germany where one of the contestants made a cake and suggested they use Porange icing… It is important to test food as you go, but make sure you know which foods you should test first (raw onion and sausage meat aren’t two such things!) Sour cream and pure cream are not the same and taste very different – please read the label before mixing ingredients! We had a fantastic time in the Kids’ Kitchen – lots of laughing, trying new foods and learning new skills. Huge thanks to Tara and Helen from the RCH Education Institute for their hard work, the Dietician Team for their direction, but an even bigger thanks to all the kids who came down to lend a hand and a massive thanks to those who came in especially to run a session as an apprentice chef. 47

HOSPITAL HAPPENINGS

S S E N D A M H S A N MO

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CHALLENGE

HOSPITAL HAPPENINGS

PLAYGROUP

Our weekly Challenge Playgroup has experienced many eventful sessions in 2009 but one week in particular was extremely exciting. Not surprisingly we had more dads visit that day to either see their children play, or to meet the very famous (and tall!) Jim Stynes. Some loyal supporters even wore their Melbourne Football Club jumpers to get a very personal signature on their backs. The Melbourne theme song was well rehearsed and Jim was hugely impressed. The children warmed to Jim’s gentle nature as he casually sat on the floor playing with them, simply enjoying being part of our Playgroup.

. it is finished layed when p is d it rt a ve a h at to h ecorated wit It will be gre have been d sh a c, n o M t a spring, musi The walls t themes of n e e are c W re r s. u a o Christm , e relating to rs u o c f o Cup and Melbourne ven! sparkle hea youngest in glitter and icnic for our p s r’ a e b y d a ted mily time joy some fa We planned n e to e g n shining f Challe with the sun t c members o e rf e p s a tland he day w George Pen e outdoors. T th to d e k ere ilies floc icnic rugs w as many fam rankston. P F in e s n m e ti l rd a rfu Botanical G ad a wonde e children h th nt slide d n ia a g t e u h o laid reas. T a y la p y n a em ren racing exploring th ith the child w t o sp te ri vou e ducks as became a fa ildren fed th h c e m o S . ns. Mums, down utiful garde each other a e b e th h g their throu d watching ye they strolled jo n e ts n re s to ndpa ther. Thank dads and gra ch fun toge u m so ve a children h o attended. everyone wh Who game a new Guess d se a h rc u as p highly Challenge h playing the g n vi lo re a ren llenge mums. Cha and the child ir e th h it w s mes, game y station ga la competitive p f o ty e ri Sonia des a va y. Please let jo always provi n e to ’s D and DV PS2 games quests. have any re know if you port again for their sup e m es re K y sp Kri for the famili Thank you to doughnuts ly th n o m g . vidin f our month this year pro a highlight o ys a lw a is It ash to enjoy. all our Mon ing up with h tc a c to rd a We look forw 10. 0 2 in s familie

laygroup ed a local P c n e m m o c as milies. It Challenge h r Monash fa u o r fo n to s n nk r the childre fo based in Fra y it n u rt o p a great op playdoh, will provide e painting, k li s e ti vi ti c a derful to engage in . It is a won re o m d n a ial tdoor play to have soc pasting, ou e u n ti n o c children to s all way for the vironment a n e fe a s a ve in bers. We ha interaction m e m e g n e are Chall love to participants d and would te s re te in s ie in in. lots of famil ld like to jo u o w o h w e nyone els r 5, hear from a ildren unde h c r fo r te a up will c The Playgro iblings. including s the Please call office if you would like any further . information

The children were surprised when the Melbourne mascot Ronald Dee Man came through the door to join in the fun as well! Jim individually signed a football for each child, which led to handball competitions and ‘speckies’ in the hallway. Thank you so much to Jim for sharing your time with us and providing a memorable moment for the families. Birthdays are special and at Challenge Playgroup our birthday celebrations have continued throughout the year, complete with balloons, lolly bags, Pass the Parcel and fantastic birthday cakes. One of our dear friends, Crazy Pete, even visited one birthday party, entertaining us all with his magic tricks. Watching Pete’s show is something to behold, as is watching the smiles and laughter from the children.

Santas little helper

Our favourite games are “Duck, duck, goose” and “What’s the time Mr Wolf?” The children have made an endless supply of artwork, including threadings, decorating hats, magic wands, collage and marble pictures - just in the last few weeks. All of their treasures have been collated in a keepsake book to take home at the end of the year. 49

Parent support

Girl’s Weekend Challenge style

By Sarah Manos

Doesn’t a girl’s weekend away sound like a great idea? I thought so and happily put my name down for a Challenge Mums’ Retreat in Torquay. I am so grateful for the experience and that I did go. We met at Challenge House, seven mothers who had never met before and with Marg our hostess for the weekend. After nervous introductions, we loaded on to the bus and Marg drove us away for an indulgent adventure. I don’t think we ever stopped talking (except for sleeping!). We headed for a café and breakfast, with groups taking it in turns for massages or facials, and strolling around Torquay. So with relaxed bodies and clean faces, we went for lunch together. After lunch we returned to the house and all just stood mesmerised by the view from the house and feeling so relaxed after our morning of pampering. It wasn’t long before it was time for champagne, more talking, walks along the beach or just flicking through magazines (what a luxury that was!). We were to be treated to a home cooked meal in the house – that we didn’t cook!! Before we knew it, dinner was served, more wine was drunk and we laughed and shared stories and experiences. What a great day it had been! The next morning we had the most scrumptious breakfast made for us… could we possibly fit in any more food?! Some of us then walked the beach, some went into town for shopping, some snoozed and some flicked through magazines again! Next stop was another lunch! Did I mention how fantastic the food was all weekend and why wearing loose pants really is preferred? 50

Thank you for a fabulous time away. It was so nice to recharge the mind and body, a chance to unwind and not be as totally consumed with life back in the real world. We all had a great time and I know for me, it was just what I needed – a retreat weekend away. Marg, you are a very special woman and I feel so blessed to have met you. Thanks also to the other mums for making the weekend such a special time.

Mums’ Retreats These are fabulous weekends away to recharge your batteries and to spend some time with other Challenge mums going through a similar experience to you. The dates for the 2010 retreats are: • February 27th – 28th • March 20th – 21st • May 29th – 30th • June 19th – 20th • July 24th – 25th • August 14th – 15th • September 11th – 12th • October 16th – 17th If you are interested in attending any of these weekends away please contact Margaret at the Challenge office.

A perfect recipe By Jodie Simpson

It’s always humbling to know that there is help out there – sometimes you just need to be pushed in the right direction ... That’s what happened with the Challenge Mums’ Retreat in Torquay recently. A phone call from Margaret back in May inviting me to attend a ‘relaxing’ weekend for bereaved mums left me feeling a little overwhelmed. What if I ask the wrong question? What if I say the wrong thing? What if what I’m thinking is the wrong thing? What if I cry at the wrong time? What if I cry at all? Do I really deserve this experience? I noted with interest that the little PS on the invitation to attend in October said “no formal counselling will be offered.” That part was certainly true, but the support that was offered in the form of having mums there who had gone through the experience of losing a child was the best counselling anyone can have. There were no tricky questions, there were plenty of tears and no ‘bad’ thoughts. The whole time we were away was just a beautiful understanding that no parent wants a membership to the most exclusive club of all – that club of losing a child. There were happy memories and moments of pure pride shared with the group. Introductions to our angels lost, and a complete understanding of the sadness and heavy hearts we all carry around with us. There is no right or wrong way to grieve and to share this so openly with other mums who ‘got it’ was just the best recipe to allow me to keep healing. The food was magnificent, the fine wine delicious, the serene and healing environment and facial/massage amazing – the perfect ingredients to a recipe we know as healing. Thanks to Samia, Rhonda and Margaret for sharing your worlds and your beautiful children, and a massive thanks to Challenge for allowing this to happen for mums like us. It’s these small steps forward that allow us to continue to celebrate life.

Parent support

OUT IN THE COMMUNITY

s e k o l

g n i g n e l l

B e th

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n w o r b ll e b amp Move over c By Brad & Lisa Gladwin

Go Hodgy!! Go Hodgy!! That’s all we hear from our son Trent when he’s watching his beloved Hawks play footy, along with singing the Hawthorn theme song. Even when they lose… That’s why Trent was so thrilled to be offered the chance to be Hawthorn’s mascot for a day, with the chance to meet some of his heroes and run through the banner at the MCG. The big day arrived and it was the last game of the season, Round 22, Hawks V Bombers. Whichever team won this game was going through to the finals, so the ground was filled with even more excitement than usual. After arriving at the MCG, Trent got changed into his footy gear and we took some great photos. He looked a treat in all his Hawks gear. He was just so excited to be there and before we knew it, it was time for Trent to run out onto the field with all the players.

It was such a proud moment for us when Trent went running out onto the MCG and through the banner, with Hodgy’s hand on his shoulder. Trent had the most fantastic day, and even though Hawthorn lost, you just couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. We are so grateful to Challenge and the Hawthorn Football Club for making this dream day come true for Trent. This was truly a once in a lifetime experience for Trent and a day that he and our whole family will never ever forget. Thank you so much.

Move over Campbell Brown

It’s easy as PIE! Register now For ideas for your own and to register your Biggest Aussie Pie event visit www.biggestaussiepienight.com Start planning now!

www.biggestaussiepienight.com 52

OUT IN THE COMMUNITY

OUT IN THE COMMUNITY Loving that cravat

My VIP Experience at

Finding a Lost Smile By Dee Andjelic

Ever wanted to know who the President of the USA has as his personal Fairy? Well she was our personal Fairy first and her name is Fairy Twinkletoes! From a land unknown Fairy Twinkletoes spreads her fairy dust at many Challenge camps and activities and often drops by at Challenge Playgroup too. One of the great things about Fairy Twinkletoes is that she always knows when one of our kids needs a special visit. She recently heard that Emily wasn’t feeling too well, and had not smiled for some time, so off she went to change that! Our visit from Fairy Twinkletoes was truly a magical

t e e r G and t e e M Our

experience. It was the first time for many a month that we had seen our little ‘fairy’ Emily, so animated and laughing with such excitement. Fairy Twinkletoes delighted both adults and children alike with magic, humour, and mystical wonderment and by the time she had to leave, all of us believed that there really are fairies living at the bottom of the garden!! A huge thank you to both Sonia and Challenge for organising such a special morning for Emily and helping her find her beautiful smile again. Emily and her twin sister Monique are still talking about Fairy Twinkletoes every minute of the day, while wearing their fairy costumes and waving their magic wands.

“The Fairies”

By Brooke and Trent Cameron

A big thank you to Challenge for organising a special meet and greet with the cast of “The Fairies” for our daughter Kate and her sister Eden at their concert recently.

The Press Club During my treatment, Challenge asked if there was anything that I’d like to experience and I told them I had always wanted to see what MasterChef judge and owner of many popular restaurants, George Calombaris’ cooking was really like.

By Ryan Gillis

On a chilly Monday night in August Challenge managed to organise for me to meet George at his renowned Melbourne The great restaurant “The Press Club”. Little did I George Calombaris know that I was actually invited as a VIP to the MasterChef “wrap” party! My family and I got to meet all the contestants, including the winner Julie, fan-favourite Chris and the cravat wearing judge Matt Preston.

After an hour or so of mingling with everyone from the show, we headed into George’s restaurant for dinner. I ordered duck because I’ve never had it before, and man was it good. It was probably the best meal I’ve ever had in my life (sorry Mum!). The Press Club certainly lived up to its reputation … After a few chocolate soufflés for dessert we headed back into the party. When it was time to leave George came to say goodbye personally and gave me a little parting gift. It was his cook book, full of Modern Greek recipes for me to recreate at home. It was an awesome night – thanks Challenge!

Tom Cruises In A Ferrari

By Tom Filipek

The day started like rubbish with a lumber puncture and a bone marrow aspirate. However some good times weren’t far away. Today was the day I was going on my Ferrari ride! I was hoping to see a yellow Ferrari but I didn’t care about the colour as long as it was fast!

The girls were all dressed in their fairy finest, complete with wands and they weren’t the only ones – the Frankston Cultural Centre was full of little fairies that day!

When the nurses FINALLY unhooked me, dad took me to meet Vince, the owner of an awesome silver Ferrari. For the next half hour Vince and I cruised the streets of Carlton and Lygon st with many envious stares directed our way.

Kate and Eden were star struck as we went backstage prior to the show to meet Harmony, Rhapsody and the rest of the cast. We all had a fan-fairy-tastic time!

I had a great time and it was lots of fun, but way too short! I am now saving up for my very own Ferrari!! Thanks to Vince and Challenge for organising my very cool Ferrari ride.

OUT IN THE COMMUNITY

c Tiger Isaa orary Hon

Reflections & thanks

Reflections Dear Challenge, What an awesome Christmas party – even better than last year but maybe we were in a better emotional space this year. The gifts for the girls were so thoughtful – we did not have any of those things. With thanks, Veronica & Glen

though they couldn’t ask for anything better. So from a parent’s point of view we would all like to say thank you so much and that you guys should be proud of yourselves for putting on another excellent event. From a parent.

Dear Challenge, Dear Challenge, Just wanted to pass onto Challenge a big thank you for the Cops and Kids Camp . Charli had an absolute ball and enjoyed her time with Sally Ann. Hope Sally Ann enjoyed her 1st Camp I did notice she was quite emotional on her return. I’m sure she will be looked after by everyone Challenge. Both Charli & Olivia are excited about Capital Clinic and Robert’s Clinic.

I’ve always been a massive fan of the Melbourne Tigers basketball team, especially legendary player Andrew Gaze. When Challenge organised for me to meet Andrew and the rest of the Melbourne Tigers team at a training session, I was thrilled. So on a Monday morning in October my family and I were met by Andrew Gaze and Dave Rogers. We played one on one with some of the Tigers players and watched their training. When they had a break we got to play on the court. We met Chris Anstey, who was out injured. He was 7 foot tall! We found out that the tallest Australian basketballer was Luke Longley, who was 7 foot 2. Now that’s tall… The Tigers gave me a fantastic signed basketball and signed posters for me and my brother and sister. It was great fun to watch their training. I talked to Andrew Gaze a lot. He signed a T shirt and a ball for me. My brother got a signed shirt as well. He was really nice and I can see why 56

Look forward to seeing you then. Thanks again.

Just a quick note to thank the entire Challenge team for yet again another amazing Challenge Christmas party. I don’t know how you guys do it but you always amaze me with the super professional and amazingly friendly manner you guys go about making this a great day out. My girls had a blast (I enjoyed my run in the cobra) I couldn’t get the smiles off their little faces all weekend. Thanks a million. Please pass on my thanks to the entire challenge team. Best regards, Mike

Tony & Nicole

Dear Challenge, he was Father of the Year. I think I shocked him with my basketball knowledge. One of the best bits was when he rejected my brother’s shot! A great big thank you to Challenge, Andrew Gaze and the Melbourne Tigers for a fantastic day! It was an awesome experience. Go Tigers!! P.S. To Andrew Gaze: the only reason I was beaten by my brother was because I found out later that I had a fractured foot!

Dear Challenge, Being there on Saturday ,whilst doing my role as a Dad I experienced a Challenge event for the first time. Both Kristy and I were blown away by how organised and generous you all are, seeing all the kids running around and then getting brilliant presents that were of great quality was fantastic to see. As for all the parents, they too looked as

A sincere thank you for the beautiful lunch held last Saturday. The venue was superb, the perfect setting for a relaxed catch up with some familiar faces. Please pass on my thanks to Anne at Yering Station and wishing you all a safe and happy festive season Sincerely, Sarah

Dear Challenge, We want to say thank you for all your help and support since Jordan’s diagnosis in July 2009. Having Micka on the ward spending time with Jordan and helping pass those long hours during chemo has been fantastic. We were at the Christmas party this year and to see all the kids having so much fun, was just wonderful. Thanks for all the activities, tickets to soccer, dinner on the ward and the general amazing support we have received. We can’t imagine how this time would be without you guys and we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and safe holiday season. From the very bottom of our hearts. Bruno, Jessica, Jordan, Zac and Emma

Dear Challenge, Thank you so much for a lovely finish to the year. Bec, Matt and Tom had a great time at the golf days and some of our golfing friends were very envious of getting to play on the Capital Golf Course and having golf balls signed by Robert Allenby. I was then treated to a lovely lunch at Yering Station and loved the chance to meet some other mums - I really appreciated this opportunity! And last but not least the Surf Camp was fantastic both Bec and Tom had a great time and met some other kids 57

Reflections Reflections & thanks

& thanks

who I think that they will keep in contact with. Bec was also thrilled that she was on her 2 week treatment break - so her feet and stomach were feeling great!!! So best wishes to you all and hope that you have a safe and enjoyable holiday break. Kind regards, Belinda

Dear Challenge, First of all let me just say that I had the most amazing time ever at camp!! There are no words to describe the experience I was privileged to have. I am currently going through the motions of still saying good bye inside my head and heart to such beautiful little girls. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to be part of it and I look forward to joining in the fun at more camps. You guys do an AMAZING job absolutely amazing!! God bless you all. Once again thanks heaps Sally x

Dear Challenge, Thank you very much in arranging the visit of Fairy Twinkletoes to our house for the purpose of bringing the amazing smiles back into our daughter’s face. Emily had such a wonderful time and with her sister Monique, two of their little friends and Mum’s, each were highly entertained by the wonderful and kind approach by Fairy Twinkletoes. 58

To see Emily and Monique laugh and smile like that after the last nine months of constant hospital visits and procedures was just the medicine Emily is happy to swallow. Sonia, thank you so very much, for not only this experience, but your support throughout this journey when we have been in hospital with Emily Organisations like Challenge make such a positive difference when we feel the world is falling apart around us – so thank you. Dee

Dear Challenge, Thanks for putting on Adam’s Day it was the therapy we needed. We spoke to other parents who lost a child to cancer either recently or up to 20 years ago. To see and talk to these folk was fantastic and gave us hope for the future. We still miss Tommy and realise that our emotions are shared with others. To have a function for bereaved families is an event that you should schedule each year because Challenge do it so well. We saw the book that you kindly offered to prepare....I cried..it was beautiful. When I found out that Micka did it I cried again as his words were beautiful. Ron

Dear Challenge, Thanks so much for a great weekend, I really got a lot out of it. Meeting great women, and just having the opportunity just to relax, with great people that didn’t judge me or my life.

Thanks so much for the passage that you sent me, it’s amazing that sometimes you just can’t explain your emotions or what your whole family is going through, but that passage nails it exactly, the person that wrote it is a very intelligent person, so again thank you so much for listening to me, and I hope we can all get together again under happier conditions. Just want to thank Micka for finally getting me to go on one of these Retreats. I never thought that I’d enjoy myself as much as I did, so thank you to all at Challenge, just for being there for me and every other family that you help, it’s people like the Challenge family that make not only the parents but all the children’s lives just that little bit easier, and I promise you, you also make a difference in our lives.

Dear Challenge, It is with heartfelt thanks I write this note to you for giving our family the opportunity for a great holiday at the Trevor Barker House. It was our first real holiday since Kyle got sick. Of course we were hoping that St Kilda would win the Grand Final this year in honour of the great man. Maybe next year! It was exactly one year on Grand Final Day last year that Kyle came out of hospital after his transplant. Sophie was extremely impressed with the holiday and enjoyed going to the beach even at 17 degrees! Kyle and Pierce got to enjoy a two hour surfing lesson in preparation for ‘Surf Camp’. It was the first time Kyle had been in the water in 18 months. Thank you again

for a truly wonderful family holiday of which we will treasure forever thanks to your wonderful organisation. With kindest regards Glen, Jo, Kyle, Pierce and Sophie

Dear Challenge, Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do lots of fun and exciting things at Urban Camp. I met lots of new friends to have fun with and play with. My favourite bits about camp were the awesome cars and meeting contestants from MasterChef and being able to cook with them. I was so happy that we were able to sleep at the Museum. I felt like an explorer. I liked the city chase too, it was fun being able to run around the city and going on trams. But the best bit about camp was the Royal Melbourne Show. I LOVED the rides and the show bags. Thank-you Challenge so much! Daniela!! Dear Challenge, We’d like to say a very big thank you to everyone at Challenge for taking care of Tilly and Alice on their first Junior Camp, at Mt Eliza. Waving goodbye to the girls was an emotional moment for us, we were so proud of the girls and knew they were in safe hands. Tilly and Alice loved looking at their photos and are still talking about their weekend with their leaders Barbara and Shani. Thank you for making a difference in their lives. Kylie & Stu

Dear Challenge,

I thought I would drop you a quick email, so you can feel a warm fuzzy.

Thank you all so much for taking Hamish on this wonderful weekend! I can’t believe how much fun was packed into this weekend! Hamish was so excited to be heading off all on this own & he certainly spoke about it for days after his return.

My daughter is Eliza-Jane. She had a tumour in her spinal cord when she was 2. Thanks to the amazing doctors we managed to get it under control and it has not been an issue for us apart from holding our breath before each MRI. Unfortunately we had a hiccup this year the tumor decided to grow slightly. Not enough to cause an issue, just enough to make us aware that we will never be rid of it. When the flier came through for the fundraiser Eliza-Jane decided she would use her 12th birthday to raise funds. She organized an afternoon on the 21st August (her birthday is actually the 31st but she didn’t want to wait). After having her friends for a “spy party” followed by pies, she backed this up with inviting family to come for tea. Lizey asked everyone not to bring a birthday present but to bring a donation for Challenge. This raised over $400, which is not a huge amount of money but I am extremely proud of her. We were thankful for the support we received from Challenge when she was ill. Our breakfast at the Hilton was definitely something we could not afford, but was a welcome moment to breathe.

He was so excited to take his photos to kinder for ‘show and tell’ and it was certainly very exciting for us too, to see our little baby all grown up, doing so well and enjoying himself so much on his first Challenge camp! Thank you all once again and a special thank you to Hamish’s companion, Daniel for such a wonderful weekend!

Dear Challenge, Just wanted to say a big thank you, for giving Tom the opportunity to run through the banner at the Collingwood/ Hawthorn game last Saturday night. It was a fantastic experience for him and he had a great time. Just a pity the “Pies” couldn’t get up for a win!! We appreciate you giving him this opportunity even though we haven’t been around the hospital as much as we used to be, which is a good thing!!

Thank you again for the work you do.

Keep up your fantastic work, you make the journey we travel a little brighter.

We hope this helps.

Thanks heaps,

Warm regards, Julie

Tom, Laura, Lachy, Rachael & Tim

Reflections & thanks

Reflections

Dear Challenge, Just a little note to say a big Thank you from our family. Our week at the Trevor Barker house in Torquay was wonderful. The weather was a bit temperamental but we all tried ‘Sing Star’, went for walks along the beach, a drive to Lorne and just had a very relaxing, good family time. Thank you for everything. Jenny, Rod, Brett and Jordan

A friend who came all the way from Mildura and has been to almost 100 charity events said that he felt that this one had such an amazing community spirit. Its not often that you get to hear a CEO talk from the heart and that you see a dance floor so packed! Love & Luck, Jo

Dear Challenge, Hi, my name is Rod and I have just returned from my first camp

Dear Challenge, The Trevor Barker beach house is fantastic! It’s the best stress detox programme a family in this ‘challenging’ situation could wish for: sand, sea, scenery, sensational accommodation and sanity- away from reality. Thank you so much for making this possible. Benjamin is going to need a lot of strength over this next month and the getaway has helped build this up, he was so excited to be on a beach holiday. Warm Regards, Clare

(Urban) as a leader and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Challenge for the wonderful experience that I have just had.

Personally, I enjoyed every minute of the week and I feel that I have gained so much from the interaction between me and the kids and also the other leaders. It was tiring and there were some ups and downs along the way but I don’t regret it for a minute! The food was fantastic and Keith, the chef, deserves a medal, his son and two mates all did a great job in the kitchen. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Jaime for her tireless efforts and support she gave us, she is a champion in every way. I will definitely line up again for the next camp. Once again thanks for the chance to meet so many wonderful people. Rod

Condolences

Thanks again for your invitations for both Charli and Olivia to Capital and Robert Allenby Golf Day. Both of them have had an absolute ball and to also seeing themselves on the nightly News was a highlight. Thanks again. – Tony

Thank you for inviting us to the water skiing day. We had a great time. Another great Surf Camp Challenge, Sarah had an absolute ball and didn’t stop talking about it on the way home. Annie was disappointed she had to come home early but is already talking about next year. Thanks again.

Thank you for inviting us to your Christmas party. It was great fun. I loved the food and the rides. My favourite ride was the Scorpion and my favourite food was a beef, cheese and bacon pie I had for lunch. Thanks for a great day. From Alex

Alera Marchitto

Dear Challenge,

Alex Preston

Mitchell McKeown-Marshall

Nathaniel Cervas

Thanks and congrats to the ball committee & everyone for a great event on Saturday night.

Mark Mercandel

Jessica Adams

Isobel McSweeney

Lahni Kernaghan

Isabel Carter

Jaymie Cehner-Oliver

Everyone that I brought along not only had a great night but also really was inspired by the night and have a few lovely silent auction items at home.

Nadiya Sussmilch

Sinead McKenzie

Riley Benfield

Patrick Nimnoi Cabato

Jee Young Kim

Wade Batchelor

Kind Regards, Jeff, Clare, Chloe & Poppy

My whole family had another awesome time at the Christmas Party... Thanks Challenge!! And thanks again for everyone who was looking for my lost boy on the day too!

What a fantastic weekend I experienced in Torquay. The food, pampering and company were terrific. Thank you so much for inviting me. Margaret, you are such a beautiful soul and it was such a pleasure to meet you. Regards, Sarah

– Kelly

Thank you for the tickets to the Christmas Party. My favourite ride was the Party Machine. The ride that made me sick was the Scorpion.

We had a great day today at our first Challenge event - Family Christmas Day!

Thanking you very, very much, for an awesome weekend away in Lorne on Surf Camp! Had such a fun time, with a group of really good people !

Thanks again.

– Jema

Thanks again Challenge =)

The Challenge staff, families and volunteers have been deeply saddened by the loss of our much-loved members who have passed away since the production of our last magazine. We extend our deepest sympathies to the families of these children – our thoughts are with you.

Phillip Guilford

Just a short note to say a BIG thank you for the football tickets. It was wonderful to see Chloe with such a big smile on her face. She had a ball at the football. Thanks for the tickets Challenge. It was an adventure out from her days of isolation.

– Jen

– Cyna

– Olivia

Tyler Di Blasi

Letters to Leuk

I totally loved the ski day! It was so much fun. It is a really good idea and I think everyone enjoyed it. I really hope you run it again next year. From Rose

Piper had a fantastic time at camp! She hasn’t stopped talking about it since we got home. Thanks Challenge for giving her a wonderful time. – Amy

I made some jewellery with my friend Morgan and we sold it to our neighbours. We raised money which we would like to donate to Challenge. We hope it helps. – Libby

Letters to Leuk Thank you for having me to the Ride 4 Kids day on Sunday. I had a fantastic time! I look forward to the next Challenge event!! – Bron

Thank you for the movie day to see Up. It was a great movie and I loved the robotic dog (SQUIRREL!). My favourite bit is when Russell (the little kid) chucks his GPS out the window. Thanks for the movie. From Alexander and Harry

On behalf of my wife, and our son, we’d like to thank you all very much for the tickets to “Thomas” on the weekend. Yamato enjoyed the show very much and still talks about it... Thanks for all your great work, keep it up...!!! With much thanks. – Paul

Thank you so much for letting us go to Urban Camp. It was so much fun, when it was time to go home I didn’t want to leave. I always have so much fun on camp. Love from Millie. P.S thank you so much

Thank you for inviting me to see ‘Up’. My favourite bit was when Russell was going to the toilet and came back with the bird that he called the snipe. Thank you again.

Thank you very much for the great seats at ‘Wicked’. It was such a good show and lovely to have a day out. Thanks again.

– Olivia

– Vanessa

Thank you so much for organising our camp. When I heard I was going to Urban Camp I was so excited. I loved sleeping at the Museum and doing the city chase. I had so much fun.

Thank you for all your support. I loved your camps, activities and more. I have sold my toys and raised $180 so we bought a Nintendo and game to donate to you.

Love from Bonnie

From Bam AKA Sammy

I just wanted to say thank you for chasing up the internet and for helping with getting the lawn mowing organised for Jordan’s party, your effort is very much appreciated :) – Carly & Jordan