Wacky Wednesday Team at the Mater turned up the heat tonight on the wards with Special Guest’s from the QAS Ladies Softball Rep Team – QLD Heat visiting. We were lucky enough to have four of the squad come to visit us during their demanding schedule. Our thanks are extended to Jodie Bowering, Mel Weaver, Sheri Darroch and Megan Blake pictured above with the Wacky Wednesday team in our studio. These ladies all work and/or study full time whilst training and competing in order to support their involvement in this sport so we really appreciate the time taken out of their schedules to create more smiles on the children in the wards tonight.

Jodie also competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and brought in her Bronze Medal from the games which the children got great delight out of seeing and wearing for photos as a keepsake from their special visitors. We may have inspired some future athletes to win medals in their given sports for the upcoming Commonwealth games that have been secured for the Gold Coast in 2018. Unfortunately Softball has been recently removed as an Olympic Sport so we wish the Softball community the best for trying to get this back into the Olympics and/or Commonwealth games so that we can continue to support this sport at a State and National Level.

QLD Heat are currently half way through their season that involves 4 rounds starting in Oct/Nov and ending in March next year. The ladies are still in heavy training before their next round in Jan which will be held in Canberra. I am sure tonight we have added a few young voices to cheer for our QLD Softball team and we wish them all the best in the rest of their season.

The ladies have been regular supporters of Radio Lollipop with numerous visits over the past few years and we hope to continue these visits that brighten the stay of the many children that visit the hospital. Here is a big cheer from Radio Lollipop for your next game – QUEENSLANDER, QUEENSLANDER, QUEENSLANDER!

Check out the girls with the Wacky Wednesday team who were enjoying a PJ Party theme…..check out those PJ pants……

Miami State High School’s Year 10 Business Class raised an amazing $410.85 for Radio Lollipop Gold Coast through an ‘International Food Court’ assignment.

The Year 10 Business Class was given an assignment to run a successful business and were given four weeks prior to the event to prepare. The class were split into three teams of production, finance and marketing. The Production Team were in charge of recipes, ingredients and prices of the food being sold, which was decided everything would be under $4. The Finance Team handled all money, floats, and each class member put in $20 capital to buy materials and ingredients for the event. The Marketing Team organised advertising the event around the school on posters, in assembly and in the school notices. The event was held on Friday 28 October and the class named the event ‘International Food Court’ as it had food from all around the world.

Kiarah Kelly, ‘Finance Manager’ for the assignment, experienced Radio Lollipop first hand after a knee construction in 2009. A Radio Lollipop volunteer took the time to do crafts with Kiarah by her bedside and took her mind off being in hospital. She was so impacted by the difference Radio Lollipop made in her hospital stay, she suggested to her class they donate the funds they raised to Radio Lollipop.

Thank you Miami State High School for your generous donation to the children at Radio Lollipop. This money will make a huge difference and go towards new games for the kids to play with in our studio and playroom. Please know that your generous and kind donation will put many smiles on little faces at Gold Coast Hospital now and in the future through these new games. Keep up the great work.

If your class, school or workplace would like to run an event to support Radio Lollipop we would love to hear from you. We plan to partner with schools throughout the Gold Coast in early 2012, to raise awareness of what we do at Radio Lollipop and run fundraisers with school involvement. Some of our Radio Lollipop volunteers would love to come and speak to you about Radio Lollipop at your school in assembly, in your classroom or in your workplace. If you’re interested please email radiolollipopgc@iprimus.com.au.

Gold Coast United’s second visit of the season on 7 November 2011 at Radio Lollipop Gold Coast, included players Joel Porter, Ante Rozic, Tahj Minnecon and Golgol Mebrahtu. Funnily enough, on this Monday night, the majority of children on the ward were young and teenage boys. They absolutely loved meeting the Gold Coast United boys and having posters signed by the players.

The Radio Lollipop Studio was alive with laughter, creativity, energy and activity. Joel played some serious table tennis against some of the kids. Ante versed a young patient at foosball but the young boy said the match was a little unfair, as Ante plays for a living. Golgol and Tahj had a go at our craft of the night, paper plate soccer balls. There were some very creative coloured soccer balls by both GC United and the children in the studio, some including polka dots and rainbow colours.

Our Radio Lollipop Volunteer, Marissa, called Brisbane to request songs for the kids and everyone was very excited to hear their names on the radio, as well as a shout out to GC United.

A very special moment in this visit was the presentation of a signed jersey from one of the club’s former players, Dino Djulbic. He visited the ward a year ago and met one of our regular patients to the ward, Tameka. He was so touched meeting Tameka, he signed a jersey for her before he moved overseas to play in China. Thank you GC United and to Dino for organising such a lovely gift for Tameka. She absolutely loved it.

Thank you GC United for taking the time to come and visit the kids at Radio Lollipop Gold Coast Hospital. We look forward to your next visit already.