I’m writing this fresh from the ‘reveal’ of 92.7Mix FM’s
Give Me 5 for Kids appeal, where the Coast again broke Australian records with
a whopping $500,644 raised for local paediatric services.

I bang on about it at every opportunity because it needs to
be said, again and again.

The Sunshine Coast community is extraordinary. Along with raising half a million dollars in four weeks let’s not forget we’re also building The House the Coast Built. Ausmar Homes, Mix FM’s Give Me 5 for Kids, and more than 50 local businesses are building a home for FREE so families needing to be close to a loved one at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital can stay nearby.

It was cold, windy and wet this morning at Alex Surf Lifesaving
Club but there in force, as always, was the Mix FM team. Smiling and cheering
in the rain were the many faces that we see at every poker and music trivia
night, Bovine Bingo breakfast and outdoor broadcast in aid of ‘Give Me 5’. 

92.7 Mix FM choose to devote a month of airtime and effort to the Coast’s favourite fundraising appeal, every year. Many stations across Australia have reduced their commitment to one or two weeks in some places, and nowhere do they come close to what is raised on the Sunshine Coast.

$5.5million is a hell of a lot of medical equipment and
resources, and services that simply wouldn’t be available for our children and
our families if it wasn’t for Mix FM’s Give Me 5 for Kids.

This morning Marie, Bart and Darius Crowd huddled under the
marquee and cheered when the tally was revealed on the balcony of the Club,
knowing that their poker night, and Music and Bogan Trivia events had
contributed $17,000 to the impressive tally.

Alex Surf Club Manager Ashley Robinson had been there since
5am pegging in marquees so no one was impaled.

Darren Venning from Sunshine Toyota presented a cheque for $32,400 and as a long-term alliance partner of Wishlist I am particularly proud of him and his team for again digging deep and dedicating their efforts to our cause… local families.

Mieke Griggs, the appeal coordinator for the fourth year
now, smiled quietly through the morning and I only learned today that she’d
been in hospital during June with an illness that couldn’t keep her down for
long. Somehow, she still managed to be everywhere without missing a beat or
dropping a ball. I hope you feel incredibly proud of yourself Mieke, because
it’s not an easy gig and yet you manage to make it look effortless – and always
with that beautiful smile.

Then there’s Mark and Caroline. Between them they devoted
more than 200 extra working hours to attend fundraising events, collect cheques
and rally the community for the cause. To say they go above and beyond for
their work and for our families is an understatement. Caroline is involved in
every aspect of the appeal, scrutinising the tally sheet after every event, chasing
dollars pledged and hitting up everyone she knows to help out. Of course, they
do because there’s no woman more loved in this town, for her charity work, her
on-air banter and insight, and her beautiful, generous soul. 

The ‘reveal’ is always an emotional morning for me, and for
our team. I’ve worked for Wishlist for 18 years and the magic of what we do, as
a community, is never lost on me. When I see jubilation like I witnessed this
morning, and the tired and happy faces of people I genuinely love – I feel so
very grateful for this life I live.

Thank you so very much to everyone changing the world right
now, everyone who gave to Mix FM’s Give Me 5 for Kids, who volunteered to help,
cook cakes, sell artwork -  and a big,
warm, grateful hug to Ausmar Homes and all those building The House the Coast
Built. 

Thank you, so very much to 92.7Mix FM for 20 years of Mix
FM’s Give Me 5 for Kids and $5.5million worth of better services, distraction,
comfort, music and laughter for our sick kids.

We’re lucky to have you.