Australian
Idol's Casey Donovan
By Vanessa McQuarrie
A
nine-day fundraising trip to the Northern Territory really opened the
eyes of singer Casey Donovan – ironic, considering she was part
of a group taking part in The Fred Hollows Foundation's See Australia
Challenge.
Challenge participants visited communities in the Jawoyn region of the Northern Territory, where The Foundation works with local organisations to improve the overall health of Indigenous people.
"...It was amazing to see how much work they do up there. It was so different from our lives in the cities," Donovan said.
"I was surprised to see that big companies have opened little shops that are run by the people in the communities which is great. The money that they make goes straight back into their community for things they need. For example, school equipment and community projects."
While in the Territory, Donovan filmed a video clip and took time out to perform. "It was great to see how much the kids in these communities loved music."
The Australian Idol winner said the trip inspired her – and in
turn she hoped she'd inspired the Indigenous children she met to
follow their dreams, too.
The Fred Hollows Foundation works to eradicate avoidable blindness in developing countries and to improve the health outcomes of Indigenous Australians.
Casey Donovan wrote a letter about her See Australiaexperiences with The Fred Hollows Foundation and sent it to Sony BMG headquarters for her fans. Check out her letter.
To join the 2006 See Australia Challenge, visit www.hollows.org or phone 1800 352 352 for details.
The
Centre for Volunteering [ABN 28 002 416 024]
Level 2, 228 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Ph 02 9261 3600 | Fax 02 9261 4033 | info@volunteering.com.au