The Sunshine Coast community has rallied around Wishlist, helping raise more than $241,757.
Wishlist launched their first ever Wishlist Giving Day on August 20, a 12-hour virtual fundraising appeal to raise funds for Sunshine Coast and Gympie public hospitals.
Each
year the Sunshine Coast Health Foundation directs more than $1 million to
priority needs of the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service including vital
medical equipment, services to support patients, emergency accommodation, plus funding
research and staff scholarships.
This
year, due to COVID-19, Wishlist has been forced to cancel the majority of their
fundraising events, resulting in a loss of around $750,000 in fundraising
revenue, but the need for equipment and service support remains.
Wishlist CEO Lisa Rowe said the digital
fundraising appeal was unlike any Wishlist had run before.
“With
most of our community events cancelled this year, our fundraising team have had
to pivot to create this new and exciting fundraising appeal,” she said.
“We
initially started with a target of $140,000 which was matched by our very
generous corporate matchers including Sunshine Toyota, Exemplar Health, your
local Telstra stores, Project Urban and several other amazing local businesses.
“That
target was reached just after 12.30pm so we went into a Bonus Round to
$230,000.”
Ms
Rowe said she was thrilled and overwhelmed by the generosity of the local
community, all the volunteers ‘hitting the phones’, and the number of health
staff who fundraised through dressing up, raffles and even a late-night run
around the hospital.
“The
success of Wishlist Giving Day means we can continue our commitments including funding
the local Clown Doctors service, yoga and music therapy, plus fund exciting new
projects like the Family Room in the Paediatric Critical Care Unit to keep
parents close to their critically ill child at the Sunshine Coast University
Hospital.
“So
thank you to everyone who gave yesterday. On behalf of the staff, patients and
our team, we appreciate your support.”
TOP FUNDRAISERS – 2020
- Sunshine Toyota - $20,070 (56 donors)
- John Williams - $12,815 (33 donors
- Ray White Maroochydore - $11,435 (47 donors)
- Poole Group - $10,285 (34 donors)
- Ausmar Homes - $9,810 (30 donors)
- Anaesthetic Dept - $9,550 (61 donors)
- Extended Day Surgery Unit - $7,677 (33 donors)
- Team Nambour Hospital - $5,030 (40 donors)
- Aitken Legal - $4,750 (11 donors)
- Coastline BMW - $4,285 (7 donors)
- Worrells Solvency & Forensic Accountants - $4,100 (6 donors)
- Emergency Dept – SCUH - $3,854 (25 donors)
- Wealthmed - $3,726 (24 donors)
- Jarrod Bleijie - $2,930 (11 donors)
