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Weekly update, 18 December 2009

This week has been all things Christmas for staff and volunteers! With everything from present wrapping to the b105 Christmas Appeal everyone has been busy, busy, busy.Thanks to everyone for your help!

In this week's edition of WTS we catch up on the Wonder Factory hours from Christmas to New Years; meet Wendy and Wolfie, Pet Therapy Volunteers; Check out the totals for the b105 Christmas Appeal; Welcome some new volunteers (and welcome back an old one!) in our Comings and Goings; and of course let you in on this week's "Useless Fact of the Week" - Enjoy!

DiBella coffee is also fundraising for the kids this week. Check out the details below....

Dont forget to check out the Special Projects and Events page.

Wonder Factory Christmas Hours - Christmas to New Years

The Wonder Factory will be closed for play on Christmas day and New Year’s Day.

From 24th – 31st December the Wonder Factory will be open from 10:00am – 2:00pm.  Normal Wonder Factory Hours will resume on Saturday, 2 January 2010.  If you are available to assist with any of the shifts between Christmas and New Year please place your name on the list in the kitchen or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  


Meet Wolfie and Wendy, Pet Therapy Volunteers

Wolfie is a 3½ year old miniature poodle and has been visiting the RCH as an accredited Delta therapy dog since February this year. 

Likes:  He is a very clever little dog and learns tricks very quickly. He’ll do any trick – if you pay him! (any doggie treat will do)  The children especially love when he does a high five, shakes a paw, says please, jumps through a hoop, or “puts away his toys”.   By using hand signals I can usually ensure that he will respond to even the shyest child when they ask him to ‘sit’.
 

Dislikes:  Cats.  Yup, cats scare him to bits… I guess he can’t decide whether they’re friend or foe.  He’s never been a particularly courageous dog – even wheelie bins make him nervous.

I find it hugely rewarding to participate in this program.  What has surprised me most is how much the parents appreciate a visit.  The more stressed the parent is, the more pleased they are to see the dog.  He is a cheerful reminder of their ‘normal’ lives outside of the hospital.  

You can check out his dog blog at:  http://deltapetpartners.wordpress.com/

Delta Society Australia is a non-profit organisation that promotes the social, physical and emotional benefits of positive interaction between people and companion animals. Dogs like Wolfie are rigorously assessed for temperament and personality by Delta assessors prior to accreditation for the program and their volunteer owners are given professional training.

To find out more about Delta Society Australia, please visit their website at www.deltasocietyaustralia.com.au

b105 Christmas Appeal News

City Blitz

Thank you to everyone who collected at the two City Blitzes during the appeal. The first collection on Tuesday afternoon raised $2234.60 and the collection on Tuesday morning this week raised an excellent $5014.35.

Thank you for your fantastic tin shaking and merchandise selling!!

Outside Broadcast

A huge thank you also goes out to to everyone for the great teamwork today with the B105 Christmas Appeal! We are thrilled to say that $1,395,400 that was the on air total at 9:00am is already surpassed – we’re at over $1.4M as of 10:30am this morning.

To everyone that has been involved with the b105 Christmas Appeal - from the mailouts, to the tin shaking and on the phones - thank you so much for all your help!

Comings and Goings...

This week we welcome a returning volunteer. Minnie is once again going to be part of the Wonder Factory crew. We also welcome Dave Barratt and Valeria Cardoso who joined us this week. 
 

Useless Fact of the Week

Chameleons can reel in food from a distance as far away as more than two and a half times their body lengths!!

Di Bella Coffee…working wonders with every cup

From the 17th December until Christmas, Di Bella Coffee is generously donating 50 cents from every cup of coffee sold at the Di Bella Coffee Drive Through in Bowen Hills to the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

CEO and founder of Di Bella Coffee, Phil Di Bella said:
“The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation is a cause that is very close to our heart at Di Bella Coffee and just seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces makes it all worthwhile. We are proud to have supported the RCHF throughout 2009 and plan to continue working wonders for sick kids through this partnership well into the future”

This year Di Bella Coffee has already raised nearly $16, 000 for Queensland’s sick kids at the Royal Children’s Hospital through Wisecrack Wonders and their September open day event at Di Bella Coffee’s head office in Bowen Hills.

Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation CEO Karenlee Spillane said:
“We are very grateful for the generous support of Di Bella Coffee throughout 2009. And with a donation from every cup of coffee sold until Christmas, there has never been a better time to pop into the drive through and know that your coffee is helping us raise much needed funds to work wonders for sick kids!”

So please do support Di Bella Coffee and stop by for a delicious caffeine hit on your way to work or while you are out and about Christmas shopping, and know that you are helping work wonders for sick kids.

The Di Bella Coffee Drive Through is located at 90 Abbotsford Road, Bowen Hills in Brisbane

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