Kidzwish Foundation

West Wollongong teenager Ana Dimeska loves to dance. She also gets a great delight from helping others in the community who are less fortunate.

On Saturday 5 May 2012, the 14 year old combined both passions when she held a Zumba for KidzWish fundraising event at Beaton Park Leisure Centre.

The member of the 1st West Wollongong Scouts Group raised $1005 on the day. Ana organised the event as part of her requirements for the Australian Scout Medallion Award.

Ana chose to fundraise for KidzWish after volunteering during the 2011 Stockland KidzWish Christmas Party for 4,300 special children and carers.

Ana Dimeska said after that experience I needed to help these kids as much as I can.

KidzWish rely on the generosity of corporate sponsors to help make a difference to special children. An intimate dinner party held at KidzWish Place, the home of the charity, celebrated their commitment in 2011.

On Tuesday 25 April, all KidzWish Sponsors gathered to celebrate the work of KidzWish that takes place in the Illawarra community and the support from local sponsors that help make the KidzWish vision possible.

KidzWish continues to have a wonderful relationship with local businesses, and every year these partnerships continue to grow.

KidzWish Executive Director Chris Beaven said there has been an increase in interest from local businesses and organisations’ wanting to become sponsors of KidzWish because they know their investment stays in the Illawarra, which is very important for special children in the Illawarra.

Each year, KidzWish must fundraise to grant the wishes of thousands of local special children wanting to go to the 2012 Stockland KidzWish Christmas Party for 4,300 Special Children and Carers, which will be held in November at the WIN Entertainment Centre.

On Monday 16 April, 2012, KidzWish unveiled the cover of this year’s White and Yellow Pages and also launched their annual ‘Grant a local Kidz Wish’ fundraising campaign. This year’s White and Yellow Pages Covers Program theme, “A Helping Hand, The Aussie Way”, recognises KidzWish Executive Director Chris Beaven for her work supporting local sick, disabled and disadvantaged children in the Illawarra.

The cover photo shows Mrs Beaven surrounded by some of KidzWish Child Ambassadors and this photo has become the focus of this year's fundraising campaign.

KidzWish Executive Director Chris Beaven said the ‘Grant a local Kidz Wish’ campaign is an opportunity for the Illawarra community to make a difference by bringing a ray of light into the life of a special child with significant challenges.

Mrs Beaven said supporters who ‘Grant a local Kidz Wish’ will enable a local special child to attend their Christmas party which will give them hope, something to look forward to and happiness on the day.

She said, supporters can either ‘Grant a local Kidz Wish’ as an individual or ‘Register a Team’, which can all be done online by searching on Google for “KidzWish”.

Chris Beaven, a Jamberoo resident who has brightened the lives of more than 4500 local children, has been selected to appear on the cover of this year’s Wollongong White Pages® and Yellow Pages® book, to be distributed throughout Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, Thirroul, Stanwell Park and surrounding areas from 14 April 2012.

This year’s Covers Program theme, A Helping Hand, The Aussie Way, recognises Chris for her work supporting sick, disabled and disadvantaged children through KidzWish Foundation.

A long-time community volunteer, Chris founded KidzWish Foundation in 2004 to make a difference to the lives of sick children in the Illawarra. Starting out as a Christmas party for 500 kids, the self-funded organisation now supports more than 4500 sick and disadvantaged children, and their carers in the region. KidzWish offers a wide variety of programs, special equipment and therapy services to kids that need it most.

As the Foundation’s executive director, Chris spends countless hours organising key fundraising events such as the KidzWish Annual Charity Ball, which is attended by approximately 1000 people each year.