WOW 2019
VENUE: BOUGAINVILLEA HOUSE, HOWARD STREET WHARVES, BRISBANE
The spirit of WOW returns this year. While enjoying a bubble with friends, WOW extends our hand to those less fortunate or dealing with hard times. This year we bring back our community support to assist women who are trying to escape toxic environments of domestic violence and sexual abuse.
Women’s Legal Service provides free legal and welfare help to Queensland women and their children who have experienced domestic violence. Every year our Helpline answers 10,000 calls for help, and thousands more women are assisted through our Evening Drop-In service, dedicated Rural Helpline, high risk domestic violence units, sexual assault unit and on-the-spot solicitors at court and hospitals across South East Queensland. Despite this growing reach, 40% of calls to our Helpline still cannot get through due to capacity limits. There is no way to know when these women will have the courage, or the opportunity, to call again. All funds raised through the WOW Community Event will help to ensure that when a woman reaches out, help is available at the other end of the line.
WOW 2017
VENUE: THE PADDOCK BAR, RYDGES HOTEL, FORTITUDE VALLEY
GUESTS: 150
FUNDRAISING GOAL: $8,000
This year WOW! is ready to “gee things up”! We have moved to a new venue with a new vibe. Join us in 2017 at The Paddock Bar on Gregory Terrace, overlooking the main arena of the RNA Showgrounds. Our winning formula won’t change though – a stand up canape dinner, mingle with old friends and make some new ones, under the expansive boughs of Paddock’s signature oak tree on the deck or perhaps lounging on the sofas around the picture windows inside.
The annual WOW! Event gives the women in our community a glimpse of what it feels like to be part of a tribe. Have you felt that sense of belonging wash over you? Historically, human nature craves a tribe, a group of people who connect, protect and share a culture for survival. The Women of Wilston are a tribe that supports, inspires, comforts and lifts each other up. Every year we come together to celebrate this.
But what happens when you or your child do not fit into a tribe? How would you feel? Would you miss it? This year WOW! is supporting the families in our community who do not want to feel apart as they struggle to manage life with a child with autism and other learning and perceptual differences. One of these mums is Megan Elliott, the founder of our charity, the GingerCloud Foundation.
Megan faced distance and disconnection from her community when she realised her son Max had a significant learning and sensory disability. Playgroup, coffee mornings, joining a sport or activity club, even simple shopping trips were beyond their reach. So, she decided to find families like hers and build her own tribe.
Megan and her husband, Anthony have worked with Brothers and GPS rugby union clubs over the past four years to help other local families feel they belong. Their Modified Rugby Program (the MRP) offers kids like Max the chance to play team sport. Paired with an older child at the club to buddy up with them on the field, direct their play and keep them in the game, the MRP also offers local teenagers the chance to participate in a leadership program. The GingerCloud Foundation now helps hundreds of children and families around Brisbane belong to a tribe. We can’t wait to welcome Megan and the MRP into our tribe too for WOW! 2017.
WOW 2016
VENUE: 'UP' ON CONSTANCE, FORTITUDE VALLEY
GUESTS: 200+
FUNDRAISING EFFORT: $10,000
From a small "shout out" to 50 friends to come to a party in 2012, the Women of Wilston have reached out to more and more mothers of our community every year. In 2016 we were back "Up" on the roof for sunset with some wonderful 5th birthday surprise elements. A celebratory theme of pink and gold, gorgeous blush spots to decorate our entrance, a DJ to let us dance the night away and a photo frame to capture the guests in action.
In 2016 we chose to support Hummingbird House who provide accommodation for families of a child with life limiting sickness. Queensland's first hospice at Chermside gives these families a home environment with medical support to create precious memories away from the confines of hospital. Our new streamlined raffle system was very effective. Pre-sold with the entry ticket, there was no fuss on the day and we took every advantage of the extra time to enjoy the chance to all be together again. The $10,000 we raised for Hummingbird House was used to initiate a mothers’ weekend retreat program.
WOW 2015
VENUE: 'UP' ON CONSTANCE, FORTITUDE VALLEY
GUESTS: 205
FUNDRAISING EFFORT: $10,000
Practice makes perfect and in our fourth year we decided to make some changes to keep WOW! growing bigger and better. The long lunch was fabulous but ended for many with the inevitable anti-climax of dashing off like Cinderella, leaving behind a glass slipper on the stairs, as you escaped for school pick up. We also missed the Wilston working mums who couldn't spare the day to join us. We decided to try a twilight evening event instead. Everyone enjoyed the change of temperature and atmosphere as we watched the city lights twinkle over the rooftops from Up on Constance at the Tryp Hotel.
In 2015 we wanted to help our charity, RizeUp assist women and children escaping domestic violence, giving them a fresh start to rebuild new lives. They provide emergency goods and cash when brave victims are forced to flee with the clothes on their backs. They turn a bare house into a home with furniture, homewares and clothing to fit everyone's individual needs. They support children trying to feel normal at school and fit in with stationary, uniforms, lunch boxes and excursion money. To keep everyone safe, the volunteers of RizeUp never meet the people they help. The numbers for WOW! doubled again and over 200 women helped raise $10,000 to support RizeUP. Our new timeslot was a big winner - and we drank the bar dry of champagne!
WOW 2014
VENUE: 'DANDY'S ROOFTOP', THE FOX HOTEL, SOUTH BRISBANE
GUESTS: 120
FUNDRAISING EFFORT: $6,000
We love a party in the open air and in 2014 we made sure there was plenty of breeze and plenty of colour at the Fox Hotel
Dandys Rooftop. Why not a BBQ picnic amongst a vibrant setting of pinks, greens, yellows, oranges and reds? It felt just like a Spring carnivale!
Every year it is difficult to choose a charity from the many that work so hard to make a difference in the lives of mothers and their families who need support in our community. However when we make that choice, there is always someone in the crowd at WOW that it holds a special resonance for. This year we chose Mummy's Wish, helping give emotional and practical support to mums with cancer. A young mum in our school community, undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, bravely volunteered to speak about her personal experience. She felt compelled to share the story of how her Mummy's Wish support made such a special difference during such a traumatic time for young families. Sadly, on the day she was too unwell to attend but the moving letter she wrote was shared aloud and brought tears to many trying to imagine how to cope with the needs of a young family during the journey of cancer treatment. Mummy's Wish was there to help with all the practical aspects of life that just happen when Mum is well and the house runs like clockwork. Not only do they get on with organising the housework and nutritious meals, they help with the financial strain, help create memories for mums with a terminal diagnosis and give a shoulder to lean on. With 120 WOW! mothers touched by the incredible work from Mummy's Wish, we raised $6000 to help continue that assistance. And to mark another fabulous WOW! end of year celebration - we drank the bar dry of champagne!
WOW 2013
VENUE: 'ELIXIR ROOFTOP, FORTITUDE VALLEY
GUESTS: 100
FUNDRAISING EFFORT: $5,000
During our second year word had certainly started to travel and the Women of Wilston doubled to 100. It was also double the fun and double the support for our charity. Elixir Rooftop was dazzling under 39 degrees but we would not let the heat melt our resolve to celebrate another year together. We were helping the Anglicare "home-away from homelessness" project , to build a facility for mothers and their young children. We listened to the cold hard facts about the invisible numbers of women sleeping in Brisbane streets. Homeless men sleep on park benches, while women sleep hidden in their cars or away from view to keep themselves and their children safe. Anglicare planned a housing project of 24 rooms and suites to bring some of these families in from the dark. We raised $5000 to help ... and to beat the heat, we drank the bar dry of champagne!