Ron Lane
In every community there exists groups of people who we refer to as fundraisers.
In some of the large organisations they have professional teams working on this matter but in the main you will more than likely find that they are in fact unpaid volunteers. Amongst the many there exists within the boundaries of our community of Noosa Heads, one such group known as Smile for a Child.
According to a team representative this now well- known group came into existence way back in 2006.
This occurred when some nine club managers met at the Tewantin Noosa Golf Club and got together to start a charity golf day to support Clubs Queensland Smile for a Child Foundation, a foundation that supported children’s charities in Queensland.
All monies raised would go to Clubs Queensland for distribution.
The first golf day was held in September 2007 and now, some 15 years later, there are still six clubs involved, with three having withdrawn, including Clubs Queensland.
Thus in 2009, all monies raised by Smile for a Child were handed to Noosa Combined Clubs Charities and distributed among local charities and families in need.
In the early years of the Foundation, they received amazing help from the local Piercy Family and also Rod and Angela Pampling.
To date they have raised $455,000 through the charity golf days.
This year their aim is to raise $45,000, and in doing so they will have achieved the grand total of $500,000. This would be indeed an outstanding achievement.
Big thanks go to many people, including all club members, including staff. Patrons, Roger and Evonne Gooloogong Cawley, Michael and Susie O’Conner, sponsors Tony Jedinak, Dereck Connolly, Hotel Laguna and Tony and Katia Haack of Sharp Sunshine Coast. Also, Susie O’Neill and Donald Mckill of KIDS Foundations for their involvement. Other charities that have received finical support over the years include Starlight Children’s Foundation, Sunshine Butterflies, Sunny Kids, Kids Foundation, Hear & Say Centre, Seahorse Nippers, Frangipani Dreams, and other families of sick children in our communities.
Others, who over the long years have given generous and amazing support are Anton Mogg, general manager of the Noosa Surf Club and duty manager Matt Holland.
Their continued involvement particually during the times of the Covid outbreak was noted.
But the biggest contributor without a doubt would have to be Glenn Puck Puckeridge.
Every time and every project he’s the organiser and go to man. Not only for the Smile crew, but also both the Noosa Heads and Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Clubs and, as always, abley supported by his assistant Little Jo Power.
The many hours contributed and the dollars raised and donated, for the families and children of our community, tells us that here we have many people in whom we can take pride. Proud to say- they are our people.
