The biggest day in the year for thousands of Illawarra children happens this Thursday at WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong.
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Doors open at 10am for the 15th annual KidzWish Christmas Party which officially begins at 11am and runs for two hours.
The climax of the Once Upon A Time themed Christmas celebration will be Santa’s arrival followed by a Santa shoot for many of the children present.
Thursday’s activities will start early when Leo Lagana is interviewed on Sunrise just after 6.30am.
He will be talking about another special day he has planned with his favourite crime fighting superhero Batman.
The annual KidzWish celebration for 4300 children in the Illawarra with an illness, disability or disadvantage continues on Friday night with the major fundraising ball at the same venue.
Both events enjoy enormous corporate support from the Illawarra business community.
Thursday’s party also gives the children and their families “a break from their everyday stresses”.
KidzWish marketing manager Karouna Micheal said children up to the age of 18 years old from the local region and carers will enjoy an action-packed day of fun, love and laughter .. at no cost to the families.
Each child on Thursday will receive a toy, lunch and three hours of entertainment.
“It’s for the kids because local kids matter; whether they’re part of our KidzWish programs, their siblings or schools that support children who are sick, disadvantaged or have a disability,” Mr Micheal said.
In many cases the children will be having a break from hospitals and therapies for a day that also gives some some respite for their families.
Mr Michael said at this year's Christmas Party 69 per cent of the children have a disability, 24 per cent are disadvantaged and seven per cent suffer from an illness.
“They come to the our Christmas Party and they have one thing in common – they are all local kids and they all deserve the same opportunities,” he said.
“A lot of the kids will know each other from KidzWish programs as well, so they’ll have some familiar faces. Or if they’ve been coming to the party for a couple of years they’ll have some friends there. They may only see them once a year, but it’s a really nice touchstone for them.”
“When we come to the Christmas Party we are here for one reason only and that's to have a good time. It’s all about having fun and a break. And letting the kids just be kids.”
“They all come dressed as either their favourite Disney characters, wearing KidzWish shirts or they’ll come dressed as the KidzWish Fairy.”.
KidzWish helps Illawarra & South Coast children who are sick, disadvantaged or have a disability providing them with Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Music/Dance/Sports/Experience Programs and the KidzWish Children’s Christmas Party.
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
