In March Team Gungahlin took to the skies over Canberra to take the ultimate challenge and Jump To Cure Diabetes for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Eight members made up Team Gungahlin, Mark, Andrew, Sheree, Christian, Rachael, Emma, Anthony and Pat. The team had a goal to raise $13,000 and with some more donations still to come in are confident of going very close to the goal.Team Gungahlin is also the number one fundraising team in Canberra for 2014.
This fundraiser is to raise funds for JDRF to support medical research to improve the lives of those living with type 1 diabetes (T1D).
T1D is an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults and lasts a lifetime. 12,300 kids and adults in Australia have this disease and this number grows each year. Progress in T1D research has been extraordinary, with continued advances that are improving the lives of those living with T1D.
To qualify for the jump each team member had to raise at least $1,250. Each member had their own motivations for taking the jump, one team member has T1D, one is a father of a child with T1D and others related to someone with T1D. The team was rocked by the news of a young Canberra mother who passed away due to T1D in the lead up to the event.
On the day the team members went in pairs up to 12,000 feet above Canberra where the views are absolutely amazing. Each team member looking out of the little plane as it flew over Gungahlin trying to find their respective homes. The climb to the required height seems to take forever but as soon as the door opens you know this just got real!
I was the only one in the team that had done this before so I knew what to expect but I admit there was some butterflies when the door opened. I wasn’t sitting on the edge of the plane for long until we pushed away and spun as we were in free fall. After a quick free fall the canopy released and I could take in the Canberra views. After a couple of minutes we came zooming in over The Mint to a safe landing on the oval next to the Mint to cheers from the onlooking crowd. Scroll down for videos.
Next year we would love to see more members from the Gungahlin community get take the challenge. We would love to see people from each of the sporting codes, volunteer organisations and even emergency services! If you would like to get involved next year please send an email to Mel from JDRF expressing your interest [email protected].
JDRF do have other fundraisers as well you can support like Walk To Cure Diabetes but why walk when you can JUMP!
Team Gungahlin would like to thank the following people and organisations for their support:
- Mel from JDRF, you are a star!
- Michelle from Another Happy Customer – Creative Photography For Cool People for being our official photographer.
- The team from Skydive Oz Canberra City for ensuring we had a fun safe jump!
- Cam & Ben from 106.3 for inviting me into the studio and being on the show to promote the Jump (next year Cam ;-))
- Anthony from My Parea Espresso for running fundraisers from the Cafe and taking the challenge.
- Wyant Homes ACT for their generous donation.
- Millar Golf for their generous donation.
- Yeend & Associates for their generous donation.
- Callanetics Canberra for their generous donation.
- Ready Steady Go Kids Canberra for their generous donation.
- DesignIS for their generous donation.
- Diana Burns Solicitors for their generous donation and getting me across the line!
- Katrina Burgers Photography for their generous donation.
- Peter Blackshaw Real Estate Gungahlin for their generous donation.
- WDS Limited for their massive donation ensuring Mark reached his goal and beat last years effort!
- Saltbush Group Pty Ltd for their massive donation!
- Syfa Solutions for their generous donation.
- Simpson Enterprises for their generous donation.
- ActewAGL Retail for their generous donation.
- JoeyPT for their generous donation.
- Kaptured by Kylee Photography for their generous donation.
Team Gungahlin would like to thank the following businesses for donating to our raffle:
- Diana Photography
- Club Hair
- Khatira’s Kitchen
- Nurturing Within Yoga
- Beauty On Hoskins
- Reflection Counselling
- Sash & Belle
- Spiritual Journey Reiki
- Dendy
- Lee’s Hair Services
- Skydive Oz Canberra City
- Kaptured by Kylee Photography
- Integral Embroidery
- Canberra Urban Honey
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