Media Release: Mackay Veterans Sharing Christmas Spirit

The men of the Mackay Veterans Support Group visited Piccaninny Foster and Kinship Care Service on Thursday, 14 December, to donate handmade toys and gifts for distribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in care.

Mackay Veterans Support Group representatives Bill Hey and Gary Smith said that the Veterans wanted to give their high quality handmade wooden toys to a worthy cause, and recognising that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are overrepresented in the child protection system, Piccaninny Foster and Kinship Care Service were an appropriate choice.

“The Veterans really enjoy making these toys and think about the happiness they will bring to kids that might be having a bit of a rough trot around this time of year”, said Bill Hey.

Piccaninny Foster and Kinship Care Service Manager, Adrienne Barnett, said that their staff will be out and about next week distributing the toys to foster and kinship carers and the children in their care.

“This is probably one of the more enjoyable parts of our work”, said Adrienne.  “Often times we are dealing with family hardship and struggle, but this is the one time of the year when we can bring joy and celebration to the carers and kids”.

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Contact:     Adrienne Barnett, Manager, Piccaninny Foster and Kinship Care Service – (07) 4848 1062 / manager@marabisda.org.au

Bill Hey – Mackay Veterans Support Group – (07) 4953 2575 / mvsg8@bigpond.com