Rotary has many humanitarian health programs for children and as a consequence fully understands and supports the wonderful work carried out by Variety, The Children’s Charity.

Recently the chairman of the Shoalhaven Bashers, Brian Muller and his wife Joanne were invited to a Rotary Nowra dinner meeting to bring Rotarians up to date with the activities of Variety, in particular, the substantial financial contribution made to the charity from the annual Variety Bash event.

Brian is an Honarary member of Rotary Nowra and both Brian and Joanne are Past Presidents of their former Rotary Club. Both have a full understanding of Rotary and Variety humanitarian services.

Variety, The Children’s Charity was born in 1927, in a theatre in Pittsburgh USA.

A group of show business men, known as the Variety Club, gathered for their regular catch-up with like-minded friends at the Sheridan Theatre.

During that meeting a young baby was found abandoned in the empty rows of seats.

Pinned to her was a note that read.

“Please take care of my baby. Her name is Catherine. I can no longer take care of her. I have eight others.

“My husband is out of work. She was born on Thanksgiving Day. I have always heard of the goodness of show business people and pray to God that you will look after her. Signed, a heartbroken mother.”

The group decided to have a fundraiser for the baby and received so much support and money that, with the money left over, they started the charity for the many other children in need.

Variety, The Children’s Charity now operates in 14 countries and came to Australia in 1975 with Paul Hogan being its first “Chief Barker”, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and of the Management Team and like Rotary this leadership position usually is re-elected annually.

Brian showed Rotarians the heart wrenching video of one child that has been supported by Variety and talked about many other cases where Variety has purchased life-changing equipment such as walkers, wheelchairs and other types of assistance packages including scholarships for disabled children without the financial means to reach their full potential.

There are around 30 Variety volunteers in the Shoalhaven Bashers that organise other fundraisers besides the Bash itself including golf days, dinner dances, and a Bird Cage Marquee event at the Nowra Races.

Shoalhaven Bashers also participate in Varieties support to the organisers of the Bathurst 1000 where they raise around $35,000 per year from donation buckets and other work they do at the event.

The annual Variety Christmas party in Sydney for disadvantaged children attracts around 5,000 attendees.

Whilst the local branch does not control how the moneys raised for Variety are distributed they have been influential in obtaining much needed equipment for the local area including three “Vision for Life” cameras at the Shoalhaven Hospital and five Commboxes for Havenlee School.

This equipment has ensured that the health and educational welfare of local children in need, have been greatly improved.

Apart from the bash raising money, Brian, who has been on every bash since 1994, said that it is such a fun and exciting event that the companies and corporations that originally donated to the event now have their own entry cars and it has grown into a huge fellowship event for both men and women.

Many small outback towns and communities that the Bash passes through do not have the accommodation facilities for all entrants and Brian had many humorous stories on the clever ways and means that participants overcame this problem without missing a beat.

One way is that a feature of the rally is that some organisers dress up and hand out gifts to the children at many small community schools on the route and very appreciative teachers and parents of the children open up their hearts and homes to the bashers.

This year’s Bash to be held in August is Brian’s 25th Bash and will be an iconic event as the bashers will visit many of the memorable towns they have visited over the years.

Well over 100 customised and artistically decorated cars produced after 1978 along with mobile mechanics support vehicles will be participating.

The minimum fee per car is a minimum of $8,500 per car that goes directly to Variety. Bash teams raise this money from sponsorships and fundraisers.

Bashers have such a great time travelling throughout Australia that they gladly pay all personal costs they incur on the Bash.

Following Brian’s presentation Rotary Nowra donated $1,000 to Variety.

For further information on the Bash, local Variety events and donations to Variety, please contact Brian Muller on 0413 404 461.