Wednesday Drive 4.00pm-6.00pm

With more screws loose than a joiner, tune in for Monday morning madness and mayhem with the Reverend LOL.

Big Smiles for the children of the Mt Sylvia Community

Lawrence Russell (AKA “The Reverend Lol”) from the We3dnesday Drive show at Noosa Community Radio FM101.3 was affected by images on TV of the Qld. Floods. He felt he needed to help in some way, and this is his story. After watching families going through one of the worst times in Australia’s history,
I recalled my childhood and, coming from a family of six, the thought of Santa not being able to give you a new gift doesn’t cross your mind. The Easter Bunny not delivering an Easter egg would be impossible. I couldn’t imagine my wife Rebecca and our three children or other families from the Noosa area, having to go through those floods. The images of what happened to Lockyer Valley and other parts of Queensland will always be with us.

I could see everyone wanted to help, because that what Australians do; they pull together. I decided I would use my radio skills to obtain new toys and gifts from our listeners, school children, and companies across the Sunshine Coast and further afield. I threatened to sing on air if they didn’t help and that seemed to do the trick!

I then contacted my best friend, Santa to give the children and families something special. After 14 weeks of planning with my colleagues at Noosa Community Radio, we were pleased to take Santa and his Grotto, along with the Easter Bunny, to the children of Mt Sylvia community in Lockyer Valley to bring them a belated Christmas and Easter.

As a volunteer for Noosa Community Radio, spending 5 days a week working on the campaign, I can now say it was all worth it.

Following my pleas to various businesses both on air and by personal letter, the toys rolled in. The message was heard by hundreds of people including the Noosa News and Channel 7 on the Sunshine Coast – all of whom helped us to achieve our goal – to make a child SMILE..

After watching campaign grow, I took my family and seven radio representatives to Mt. Sylvia School in the Lockyer Valley on 7 May. There, a double class room was converted into a dream Lap Land Grotto for the children. It was “all systems go!”’

Working hand in hand with the Lockyer Valley Regional Council, and volunteers from the Mt Sylvia community, the whole area came together for the first time since the floods.
Some families had suffered the loss of loved ones and major damage to their property. In fact, only three weeks prior to us holding the toy party some of the roads to Mt Sylvia were still closed, with the only access by helicopter.

The Mt. Sylvia Community is still trying to get mobile phone coverage, with urgent requests for a phone tower currently being made to the State Government. They say the people in this area are at serious risk should another flood occur, and personally I hope the Government will recognise this need.

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People have written on the Noosa Community Radio’s Facebook page, suggesting I should be given an award. I say it’s local companies and our radio listeners who did it all. I just organised the appeal and pulled it together.

For the children of the Valley, the highlight was seeing Santa and Easter Bunny together, but I also had a hidden plan for all of them to do the Chicken dance with Santa and Easter Bunny. The children loved it!

The main magic moment that will always be with me was to see all the children’s faces light up looking at the Grotto and the special display of puppets by Promotions in Motion of Noosaville who made the journey with us. “WOW” was all the children could say.

After Santa’s distribution of toys, I still had 22 major gifts left, including 10 new bikes, dolls, prams and big board games. These were raffled free, with one lucky family winning two of these major giveaways.

I was delighted with the outcome. Not only did we have fine weather, but everyone had a big smile on their faces. The Sunshine Coast community and businesses can now pat themselves on the back – they have achieved something really special. They made so many children (and their parents) smile!!

My family and I are looking forward to becoming Australian Citizens this year and we believe we’ve experienced first-hand a wonderful example of the Australian spirit, pulling together in time of need.

On the journey home from Lockyer Valley the radio crew jokingly asked how I’d spend my spare time now that the toys had been delivered. “What free time?” I asked; “I’m already planning a Christmas pantomime, with all proceeds going to a children’s hospital”.

Noosa Community Radio FM 101.3 wishes to sincerely thank all our supporters for this event. You certainly produced the “WOW” factor.

• Lawrence Russell shares the Drive show with Pete Remick on Wednesdays from 4-6pm on FM 101.3 Noosa Community Radio. Co-incidentally, the radio station also celebrated it’s 17th birthday on 7 May.