Variety’s fun-filled “Bali Bash” provides spice of life for needy kids too

A happy idea that started out in an Adelaide hotel has evolved into an international event sponsored by Garuda Indonesia that will help restore sight and speech to sick children in Bali at zero cost to their families.

The Bali Bash –  which was an adaption of the Bash events organized by Variety, the Children’s Charity in Australia – was the idea of a group of bashers which came up with the idea when meeting late last year in the well known North Adelaide hotel – The Wellington.

After completing the 2006 Variety Bash in South Australia, they came upon the idea of doing a Bash around Bali where one of their colleagues, Liz Travers, previously from Adelaide, now lives and she returns to Adelaide each year to participate in the South Australian Variety Bash.  

Liz and her team of Lauryn Weatherall, Deb Miller and Leonie Hunt, took on the project, gained major sponsorship from Garuda Indonesia Airlines, and put a package together and sent it out to the potential bashers.

Garuda Indonesia donated two free-of-charge tickets to be auctioned to support the event while wholesaler Garuda Orient Holidays weighed in with two free-of charge land arrangements that mirrored the itinerary of the Bali Bash as it drove around the coastline of  the Island of the Gods. GOH was particularly supported by the Hyatt Hotels and Alila hotel & resort group.

“The response was unbelievable  – we got 32 Adelaide people on the first Bash during May. We are hoping to turn it into an annual event and attract entrants from other States,” said Garuda Indonesia’s Rosslyn Trembath.

Participants travel in convoy under police escort right around Bali visiting orphanages, schools and the birthing centre in Ubud where donations are made to the children in need, as well as stopping at interesting places both on and off the major tourist routes.

“As with any Bash, there is an inordinate amount of fun factored into the fundraising and most cars adapt a theme to carry through the week with participants dressing up to entertain the kids.”   

“They enjoy exploring  places not normally included on holiday itineraries and participate in local culture, food and experiences,” said Ms Trembath. 

The John Fawcett Foundation was identified by this group of Variety supporters as a charity organisation with the same charter as Variety, to improve the lives of children in need without cost to their families. 

This Garuda sponsored organisation, the John Fawcett Foundation, perform surgery by local doctors who have been trained by Australians to perform cataract and cleft palate operations for these children in need.   

An operation to restore sight to a child costs $50. An operation to correct a cleft palate costs $500. 

“This award winning foundation works tirelessly and their main aim is to provide life changing surgery to the village children of Bali for zero cost.   These children are hence saved from a life of misery, dependence and rejection within the local community. They all end up with a chance at a normal life as we know it,” said Ms Trembath.

In addition to the Garuda Indonesia sponsorship, additional local  sponsorship from resorts and businesses in Bali has meant that the group now hopes to raise in excess of $10,000 towards the cause  – and of course this amount of money goes a long way in Bali. 

Anyone wishing to make a tax deductible donation to Variety to help this project can call Lauryn on 0410 644 308. 

Report by The Mole