What's On - Charities, Fundraisers, Sporting Events

If you would like to have an event promoted in our What's On Guide, please contact us.
Note: Please check details with event organisers before attending.

Wayne Bennett Fundraising Lunch for Compass Youth Education
Venue	Dockside on Cockle Bay Wharf
Date	Friday December 4
Fee	$170 per person and include lunch, drinks and the chance to meet Wayne Bennett and hear him give one of his inspirational public speeches
Book	Trybooking.com/CIG before November 20.
Compass Youth Education, a charity program assisting hundreds of young Australians with their essential education needs, is hosting a fundraising lunch on Friday December 4, with Wayne Bennett, one of the most influential modern-day sporting coaches, as special guest speaker. Compass Youth Education gives underprivileged and deserving young Australian students an equal opportunity in life and needs your support! It's about "leveling the playing field" for these young children.

Adopt-A-Manatee
Book	Savethemanatee.org
The manatee's story is a heart-breaking one. Although manatees have been peacefully swimming in Florida's waters for over a million years, human activities have put them at a high risk of extinction. Collisions with boats is the number one cause of manatee deaths and the greatest threat to their long-term survival. Please join our life-saving efforts to help the endangered manatees. Feature our PSAs in your publication and share our conservation message with your many readers. Funds from the Adopt-A-Manatee program go toward efforts to help protect manatees and their habitat.

Bears Of Hope Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support: Family and Friends Christmas Picnic
Venue	Rouse Hill Regional Park
Date	Sunday 13th December
Time	From 10:30am
Book	RSVP: toni@bearsofhope.org.au
On the day, bring along a teddy bear or purchase Sophie, our Bear Of Hope,to donate in honour of your baby at Christmas time.

Yoga Aid 2009
Date	Sunday 15th November
Time	8:30am
Book	Yogaaid.com.au
Barnardos Australia is proud to be one of the charities supported by Yoga Aid 2009, which starts at 8:30am, on Sunday 15th November, nationwide. The crucial funds raised at this community event are vital to Barnardos Australia, as they allow the continued delivery of life changing resources and services to some of Australia's most vulnerable and disadvantaged children. Those participating in the event attempt to complete 108 sun salutations, which is equivalent to 2 hours of extreme yoga practice. To support Emma of Barnardos Australia please go to: Yogaaid.com.au/emmalipscombe

StreetSmart's Dine Out to Help Out campaign
Date	9th Nov to 24th Dec
Fee	restaurants add a $2 voluntary donation to every table's bill
Every single dollar collected is donated directly to support homeless refuges and charities selected based on their need and proximity to participating restaurants. Last year, diners at 238 restaurants helped to raise over $260,000 plus $100,000 for Bush Fire Survivors. Across Australia, there are almost 240 restaurants participating in 'Dine Out to Help Out' in 2009. You can visit Streetsmartaustralia.org to find local restaurants participating in 2009

Room to Read
Fee	For just $335 you could sponsor a girl's education for one year.
Book	Roomtoread.org
Since their inception in 2000, non0profit organisation 'Room to Read' has impacted the lives of over 3.9 million children across the developing world, founded on the belief that 'World Change Starts With Educated Children'. In addition to building schools and libraries and publishing and distributing books, Room to Read has a sponsorship program for girls' education in developing countries. To help 'Room to Read' reach their goal of positively impacting the lives of 10 million children by 2020, you can give a selfless gift this year. For just $335 you could sponsor a girl's education for one year.

Lindy Loo the Poodle

Lindy Loo the Poodle Bear is the 2009 Charity Bear for Beanie Kids. Each year Skansen Giftware releases one very special Beanie Kid to help raise much needed funds for a worthy charity. $1.00 from the sale of every Lindy-Loo the Poodle Bear will go directly to CanTeen. CanTeen provides many support services for young people living with Cancer - by running over 200 camps, recreation days and programs each year across Australia. CanTeen believes that no young person should go through their cancer experience alone. Lindy-Loo is available now for $11.99 from gift stores nationally. For stockist details please contact 1800 063 664

McHappy Day 2009
Venue	In one of almost 800 McDonalds stores across Australia
Date	Saturday, 14th November 2009
McHappy Day is one of Australia's longest running charity events and it's coming up again this Saturday 14th November. McHappy Day is the annual fundraising event for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) which aims to brighten the lives of seriously ill children and their families. In 2009, McHappy Day is aiming to raise $2.5 million for Australian families and your help is needed to ensure that this years' McHappy Day is the happiest yet! With many of Australia's favourite personalities lending a hand, head to your local McDonald's restaurant on November 14 and you could be served your Big Mac by one of a host of well known celebrities. $1 from every Big Mac sold will go directly to funding RMHC programs, with proceeds from Byron Bay Cookies, McHappy Day Wristbands and Crazy Straws also going to RMHC.

The Mahli's Living Room Benefit Concert in Support of Youngcare
Venue	The Vanguard
Date	Wednesday 18 November, 2009
Book	Mahlislivingroom.com.au.
UK five piece band Passenger, the already critically acclaimed Boy & Bear, emerging Sydney band Serenik, and Katie Noonan playing a special solo acoustic performance, have all been confirmed to play at one of the last remaining intimate venues in Sydney. Mahli's Living Room, a charity event collaborated by a group of friends, is named after Mahli Cooper, a young Sydney woman who fell down a flight of stairs in London and sustained a serious brain injury. Some 15 months down the track, Mahli, has a long road of recovery ahead, requiring full time care. Like 6,500 other young Australians in similar situations, options are limited. The most likely option is to be placed in an aged care facility, where the average age is 86 and the average life expectancy is just three years. Youngcare works to unite the community, business and government to enable the construction and operation of state of the art, purpose designed apartments that offer a unique model of 24/7 care and provides everything a young person needs to live the life that every young person should.

Touched by Olivia Foundation: Family Fun Fair 09
Venue	Timbrell Park, Henley Marine Dr, Five Dock
Date	Sunday 15 November 2009
Time	10am - 4pm
Book	Familyfunfair.com.au
Celebrating the opening of our first all-abilities playground! There's FUN for all the family: - FREE kids shows featuring - -Go! Diego! Go! -Jay Laga'aia Show -Heaps of amusement rides, petting zoo, pony rides -Right Push skateboarding clinics all day and demonstrations -FREE Kids disco -Kids art and craft, fantastic prizes, face painting, crazy hair - Sporting legends from Balmain Tigers and Sydney FC -Great prizes - sporting memorabilia, plasma screens, box for a Sydney FC game -Yummy food stalls, great coffee and gelato -Over 50 market stalls - fabulous for Christmas pressies!

Santa Run
Date	Sunday 29th November
Book	Varietysantafunrun.com.au.
On Sunday 29th November, Variety will host the first ever Santa Fun Run in hope of attracting 2000 Santa-suited participants in its inaugural year, and eventually growing the number beyond 14,000 to break the world 'Santa Run' record, which is currently held by Portugal. The 1.8km event has been split into two categories - Runners & Walkers to ensure suitability for all fitness levels from competitive runners and sporting groups to school kids and families. You can run it, hop it, skip it or complete the course in baby steps, as long as you do it in a five piece Santa Suit which comes included with the affordable registration fee. Variety are offer a special early bird fee of $30 for adults and $20 for kids under 10 years, for registrations by October 31st or $40 and $30 there after. The Santa Fun Run, which will lead off the Sydney Christmas Parade will commence at the top of George Street and finish in Tumbalong Park.

SIDS and Kids online Christmas shopping
Venue	Sidsandkidsshop.org
SIDS and Kids is adding extra sparkle to the festive season by making Christmas shopping easy with their online store. At the SIDS and Kids Shop, a range of stylish and useful products are available to make Christmas merry and meaningful, including the top-selling grobag baby sleeping bag. For those who want to be environmentally conscious get in the spirit of a red and green Christmas with the eco-friendly and convenient Bambino Mio nappy products. SIDS and Kids Christmas Donation Cards are the perfect present for those who have everything. The tax-deductible cards can be purchased in three seasonal designs and are available in amounts of $10, $25, $50 and $100, making them truly a gift that keeps giving. SIDS and Kids is dedicated to saving the lives of babies and children during pregnancy, birth, infancy and childhood and is committed to supporting bereaved families.

Give the Gift of Sight through the OneSight Foundation
Venue	OPSM stores nationwide
Date	28th September - 8th November.
Book	Onesight.org.au
OneSight have launched an appeal to collect 50,000 pairs of second hand glasses to help disadvantaged communities around the world. OneSight Foundation, a non-for-profit charity, is calling on Australians to dig out their old pairs of glasses and recycle them through OPSM stores nationwide. By recycling pre-loved glasses at OPSM during the appeal, Australians can make a huge difference to the 250 million individuals worldwide who cannot see simply because they cannot access or cannot afford basic eye care. Donated eyewear is cleaned, repaired and classified by prescription in stores, before being catalogued in a global computer system. The glasses are then hand-delivered to disadvantaged communities during OneSight clinics in countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, India, Mexico and South Africa. Each clinic runs for two weeks, where a team of volunteer optometrists, optical dispensers and other staff help approximately 20,000 to 25,000 people. Around 50,000 pairs of recycled glasses are required for each clinic to ensure there are enough glasses to find the right prescription for everyone. In addition to these overseas missions, OneSight Foundation also runs Australian programs that benefit disadvantaged Australians with free eye exams and free new eyewear.

Dine Out to Help Out
Venue	Streetsmartaustralia.org/findrestaurant
Date	9th November to the 24th December
Dine Out to Help Out sees restaurants add a $2 voluntary donation to every table's bill. Every single dollar collected is then donated directly to support homeless refuges and charities selected based on their need and proximity to participating restaurants. The funds provide vital support to the 21,000 people in Victoria without a home. In its sixth year, the campaigns winning formula makes it easy for anyone to get involved and raise vital money for grassroots charities supporting homelessness. Restaurants involved in this year's campaign include Il Solito Posto, Cutler and Co, Oyster Little Bourke, Verge, Gingerboy and Longrain in Melbourne; and regional restaurants GPO in Bendigo and Sticks and Grace in Geelong.

'Small Miracles' book launch
Venue	Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital: Atrium, Level 6, Ned Hanlon Building
Date	Monday 9th November
Time	10.00am - 12.00pm
Book	To contact the Bonnie Babes Foundation call 1300 266 643 or Bbf.org.au.
The Bonnie Babes Foundation is a non-profit volunteer based charity which is established to help families through infertility issues, after the loss of a baby from miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss and all pregnancy loss issues. The Bonnie Babes Foundation helps families who have a premature baby. Sadly one in every four pregnancies ends in a loss from miscarriage and stillbirth. One in every ten babies are born prematurely. The Bonnie Babes Foundation was established in 1994 by Founder Rachel Stanfield-Porter who lost her first two babies, she now has two healthy children Daniel and Joel. The charity has branches in every state of Australia and helps over 17,000 families every year. Rachel has just written a landmark book called, 'Small Miracles'. The book is a compilation of inspiring Australian stories of hope, survival and coping after the loss of a baby from miscarriage, stillbirth and prematurity. The book takes the reader on a journey of the struggles of premature babies and the joy at their survival. It covers issues of infertility with sections of helpful coping strategies written by our psychologists. The book contains medical research information and resources. It is a book about every day mums and dads, celebrities and high profile personalities including Australian Women’s Weekly's Deborah Thomas, footballer Robert Harvey, Dr Cindy Pan, radio personality Dee Dee, actor Rebecca Gibney, actor Tony Bonner and many others who talk about their losses in a very candid way.

Himalayan Education Charity Foundation
Date	11th of October 2009- 30th March 2011
Fee	$4000 is the target amount for each participant to join these Fundraising Trips, half of which would go towards HECF's Educational Project. The other half covers local tour leader, local guides, local flight, porterage on trek, airport transfer, transport, sightseeing, entrance fees, accommodation and most meals.
Book	Info@hecf.org.np or contact Julie on 0416365601.
Trip: Annapurna Highlights (11 Days) - Trip combined with cultural adventure, easy walk, wildlife and wilderness. Everest Highlights (11) Days - Adventure trek with moderate walk. A reasonably good level of fitness is required for this trip. HECF is a non-profit registered charity in Nepal. The basic aim is to support underprivileged children with education and financial support to their family. Hecf.org.np for more information

Variety Vietnam Hills Trek and Community Project
Fee	Paticipants must fundraise $7,000 to participate in the trip, half of which will go to Variety. The other half covers airfares, tour leaders and accomodation.
Book	inspiredadventures.com.au or 02 9262 7882
Vietnam Trek is also a great substitute for a health resort with around 14 kilometres gentle trekking a day along village paths, part and parcel of the holiday.

2009 Variety 4WD Experience
Date	9th to 14th November.
Fee	$6,300 for two includes a $3,000 fully tax deductible donation to Variety
Book	varietynsw.org.au
The 2009 Variety 4WD Experience is a six day, 1,253 kilometre adventure starting on the coast in Narooma in NSW on Sunday 9th November (and finishing up in Canberra on Saturday 14th November) - providing a picturesque and central starting point for a holiday for adventurous couples, families and friends from Sydney, Melbourne or Canberra! The Surf to Turf is the brainchild of Variety, the Children's Charity, to create a real adventure for like minded 4WD owners with the feel good benefit of raising much needed funds for kids in need.

ActionAid Australia

Newly launched anti-poverty charity ActionAid Australia is offering one lucky Aussie an all expenses paid trip to an exotic destination - the only catch, they have to teach the locals to blog. The recently launched anti-poverty agency, with operations in over 40 countries across Africa, Asia and South America, is on the hunt for a Twitter addict with a passion for social justice to send to one of its program countries. Nicknamed Project TOTO (The Overseas Training Operation), ActionAid has launched a nationwide search for a suitable candidate on its blog blogs.actionaid.org.au/toto It's all part of ActionAid's efforts to give poverty a voice by establishing blog outposts around the world.

National Psychology Week aims to promote the importance of psychological health for overall wellbeing.
Venue	Nationwide
Date	8 - 14 November 2009
Book	psychologyweek.com.au
To celebrate National Psychology Week, 8 - 14 November 2009, psychologists throughout Australia will showcase how psychology can make a positive difference to the quality of people's lives. The theme ‘Think well. Be well', is about feeling good, having a healthy self esteem, positive family, social and work relationships, being fit and healthy and having a balanced lifestyle. As part of National Psychology Week, the Australian Psychological Society (APS) will launch the results of a national research survey and host a range of member events nationwide. This year's survey, 'Coping with the economic crisis', will reveal the economic, social and psychological impact of the current economic downturn.

New SANE website helps teens in families affected by mental illness
Venue	itsallright.org
Date	launched 16 June 2009
SANE Australia will launch itsallright.org - a new version of its website for teenagers with family affected by mental illness. The service aims to make a dramatic difference to teens in these families by providing them with the information and advice they urgently need, integrated with an online Helpline to answer specific questions. Features of itsallright.org: -Diaries of four teenagers based on real stories -An online Helpline for teenagers to ask questions about mental illness and related topics -Factsheets on everything from antidepressants to eating disorders; family support to treatment and recovery -Podcasts which provide information about different mental health problems and treatment. SANE estimates half a million young Australians have a brother, sister or parent with a mental illness. Growing up with mental illness in the family can often be a confusing and lonely experience: home life may involve episodic illness or periods of hospitalization for their parent or other relative, poverty, and even homelessness. The impact on teenagers with mental illness in the family can be profound: often leaving them feeling distressed and isolated. Many may be forced to grow up early and look after their parents or siblings. Teenagers with a family member affected by mental illness are also more likely to become depressed themselves -- part of a vicious circle that can be difficult to escape. SANE Australia: A national charity working for a better life for people affected by mental illness through education, research, and campaigning for improved services and attitudes. SANE operates Australia's only national Freecall Helpline providing information and advice about symptoms, treatment and support services for mental illness: 1800 18 SANE (7263).

VIXENS
Venue	Hisence Arena
Date	2009 Season
Book	www.ticketek.com.au

MELBOURNE STORM HOME GAMES 2009 SEASON
Venue	Olympic Park Stadium
Date	2009 Season
Fee	www.ticketek.com.au

Help Transform Homelessness

Each person who visits www.transformhomelessness.com.au can raise $1 to help transform the lives of the 105,000 Australians who are without a home every night.1 All you have to do is create a pair of butterfly wings - Mission Australia's symbol of positive transformation - of your own. Because for every butterfly created, Bayer will donate $1 to help Mission Australia transform the lives of the most disadvantaged people in our communities. We're aiming for a $60,000 2 donation - and that means we need 60,000 people to create 60,000 butterflies. So spread the word - once you've added your butterfly, ask your friends, workmates and family to do the same!

Share a bite to help fight Diabetes
Book	Help the fight against diabetes. Register today by calling: 1300 136 588 or go to www.greataustralianbite.com.au.
This April, people from across NSW will be sharing food, having fun and enjoying friendships as they get together for the 'Great Australian Bite' to help raise money for those living with diabetes in Australia. Hosting a bite is as easy as 1, 2, 3… 1. Register to host a 'bite' anytime during April. 2. Invite workmates, friends or family to share a 'bite' to eat. 3. Donate - ask your guests for a donation. A 'bite" can be held anywhere, at any time - a picnic in the park, a sausage sizzle at your local social club, a BBQ with friends or coffee and cake in the office - you choose. Whether your bite is with a few mates or the whole town, you'll be making a donation to Diabetes Australia-NSW and doing your bit to support people with diabetes and help fund research. With the ongoing support of our sponsor, Pinnacle Print Management, all funds raised from the Great Australian Bite will directly support our awareness, research, education and advocacy programs.

Red Cross Good Start Breakfast Club

As many people notice the arrival of Easter Eggs, Bunnies and Buns on shelves, Coles and Red Cross prepare for yet another year providing primary school children across Australia with fuel for a busy day of learning. Coles Supermarkets has started the Easter spirit early, and for good reason. For the third consecutive year Coles will donate $250,000 to the Red Cross Good Start Breakfast Club from proceeds generated by the sales of Coles Hot Cross Buns. The Good Start Breakfast Club is an initiative designed to combat nutrition problems by providing free breakfasts and nutrition education to primary school children in greatest need in metropolitan areas and more than 60 remote communities. According to the Dieticians Association of Australia, as of May last year, one in four children miss breakfast each day. These children are more likely to become over weight and develop health problems such as diabetes. Conversely, it is the issue of malnutrition within remote Indigenous areas that Red Cross nutrition programs are trying to combat, with one in nine Indigenous children in the Northern Territory suffering from malnutrition. There are currently 275 Good Start Breakfast Clubs in operation, offering nutritious breakfasts to children within participating schools at least once a week, serving more than 750,000 meals annually. Customers can now purchase Coles Hot Cross Buns and help support the Australian Red Cross in providing a good start to the day for thousands of children.

Napoleon Perdis and Ovarian Cancer Australia invites you to discover Your Inner Goddess
Time	6pm arrival for a 6.30 start
Fee	$45 pp Includes drink, canapes and special gift bag
Book	admin@ovariancancer.net.au or 1300660334
An intimate event aimed to inspire and empower women, whilst supporting awareness of Ovarian Cancer. Featuring Emanuel Perdis, Managing Director of Napoleon Perdis and Karen Livingstone, CEO and Founding Director of Ovarian Cancer Australia. Melb: Wed 11th Feb Melbourne Marriot Hotel Cnr. Exhibition and Lonsdale St Melb Sydney: Thurs 12th Feb Sydney Vibe Hotel. 111 Gouldburn St Sydney Brisbane: Fri 13th Feb Brisbane Marriott Hotel 515 Queen St Brisbane

Red Cross Warm Fuzzy gift
Book	www.redcross.org.au/warmfuzzy
While many New Year's resolutions fall by the wayside quicker than you can say 'Happy New Year', Red Cross has a good solution that will last that little bit longer, and improve the lives of others in the process. A Red Cross Warm Fuzzy virtual gift provides real assistance for those in need across Australia and around the world, from small deeds such as feeding a hungry child, to larger projects such as helping a community in East Timor achieve its dream of clean, safe drinking water close to home Warm Fuzzy gifts start from $10 each. Some of the gifts available include: -Transport for someone who has difficulty attending a vital medical appointment, $10 -Provide bedding for two when disaster strikes our Pacific neighbours. $13 -Help volunteers provide support to firefighters and other disaster relief workers, $100 -Provide one month's salary and training for a Red Cross coordinator, $300 And because Warm Fuzzy gifts are also a donation, the purchaser will receive a tax deductible receipt from Australian Red Cross

Gen X and Y find new incentive for giving back!
Book	Further information is available at www.madwoman.com.au
Single Volunteers, which was featured on Channel Nine's Today Show this morning, was created by m.a.d.woman to encourage and inspire people to make a positive difference to the community and environment. m.a.d.woman CEO and Founder Melina Schamroth says the unique program has been as success. Waiting lists of around 800 for some events have shown that time-poor people want to give back as well as meet others who share that interest. During the year, Single Volunteers aged 25-45 have taken part in: -Cooking for a Cause - cooked about 8000 meals for hungry and homeless people in Melbourne with partner Fare Share. The meals were cooked using rescued food that would otherwise have gone to landfill. -Gardening for Good - regenerated garden beds at a special garden for disadvantaged and disabled youth at CERES Community Garden and planting trees with Conservation Volunteers -Deeds for Dialysis - putting together packs for 700 patients undergoing dialysis while awaiting a kidney transplant. People of all ages wanting to make a difference have also helped m.a.d.woman by: -Raising funds to power a Midwife on a Motorbike in Timor Leste through Marie Stopes International -Raising funds for sexual health and reproduction packs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders -Buying copies of the m.a.d.woman books - How to be m.a.d. (making a difference) and m.a.d. (making a difference) in a green way. the books are printed on recycled paper using soy ink and a waterless process and half the profits go towards funding social and environmental programs. -Composting using the Earthmaker compost bin, which not only produces twice as much compost as a traditional compost bin, but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Good for the garden - great for the planet!

International Passport Day, Summer Cup Royal Randwick
Venue	Royal Randwick Racecourse, Alison Rd, Randwick
Date	Friday December 26
Time	Gates open at 11.30am. First race starts at 1.10pm with the last race at 6.17pm
Fee	Free entry for International Passport holders. $15 General Admission. $5 Pensioners
Enjoy the Christmas long weekend with an international flavour at Royal Randwick. On Friday December 26, Royal Randwick is once again hosting its annual International Passport Day. This means COMPLIMENTARY ENTRY to all patrons who hold an international passport and show it on the day. It also means fabulous international entertainment that will include Irish Folk Band Paddy Melon and other great acts. And there will be clowns available to paint all the flags from around the world and pony rides for children. There will also be amazing international food stalls.

One Off Chance to Own Hand-made Art from Your Fave Celebs
Book	http://wwww.starlight.org.au and click through to the Celebrity Star Auction. Bids close this Sunday 7th December.
The Starlight Children's Foundation is staging a "Celebrity Star Auction" live on eBay NOW, to raise the funds needed between now and Christmas to grant the wishes of 182 seriously ill children who are urgently waiting for their wishes come true. This auction presents a rare opportunity to purchase a framed one-off piece of artwork designed and personally created by favourite Australian celebs including Nicole Kidman, Ken Done, The Veronicas, Bill Granger and Missy Higgins, many of whom have also offered the winning bidder an additional "money can't buy" experience. Bill Granger, for example, is offering to personally serve breakfast for six at Bills as part of his package.