WHK Values Giving Back to the Local Community.

WHK has a long history of engaging with and supporting the local community and 2010 was no different. In early 2010 the WHK Dubbo Charity Committee created a shortlist of worthwhile local causes to support to achieve their objective of giving back to the community.

With the collective help and enthusiasm of the team at WHK Dubbo, a total of over $5500 in cash and donated goods as well as 150+ hours of donated help, benefited worthy causes and fundraisers such as the Dubbo Men's shed, Daffodil Day, Jeans for Genes Day, the Dubbo Prostate Cancer Support Group and the men's health fundraiser, Movember. The Uniting Church Food Bank received baskets of food items on a quarterly basis. In total, staff donated 12 large clothes baskets of food to the value $1200.

The team also donated their time to the Community Kitchen providing meals for 45-60 locals in need of assistance. Other staff have made approximately 40 blood donations and helped out Meal on Wheels delivering meals to the elderly & infirm over the past 12 months.

The final initiative for the year was a $500 donation to the Salvation Army made in lieu of sending out Christmas Cards.

The WHK Dubbo team will start their Christmas holidays knowing that they have well and truly achieved their aim!

WHK co-winner of the 2009 Corporate Blood Bank Challenge!

Beth Grady receiving the Blood Bank trophy.

The team at WHK Dubbo were enthusiastic participants in the 2009 Corporate Blood Bank Challenge and were delighted to receive the Blood Bank trophy awarded to the small business with the highest number of donations.

A total of 20 regular donors - a whopping third of the staff at WHK Dubbo responded to the quarterly calls by Beth Grady to donate blood.

WHK Supports Dragon's Abreast

Peter Carnell, WHK Dubbo Principal with Allaine Duncan and Sharon Wheeler (WHK).

WHK Dubbo was delighted to present a $500 cheque to support Allaine Duncan of Dubbo who will travel to Peterborough, Canada in June 2010 to compete in the Dragon's Abreast Regatta, a dragon boating event for survivors of breast cancer.

Allaine is the current President of the Orana Dragon Boat club. She joined Dragon's Abreast, a specific group of breast cancer survivors within the club, as a rehabilitation exercise after surgery.

Allaine is an inspiration to us all - not only is she a cancer survivor, however the 73 year old is currently training 3 days a week in preparation for the regatta.

The staff at WHK wish Allaine, who is the sole Western Area representative, all the best!

2009 Rotary Zoo Fun Run

WHK Dubbo staff were enthusiastic participants in the 2009 Rotary Zoo Fun Run on Sunday 30th August. A total of 60 staff and family walked and ran the course around the zoo.

This is the second year that the group have entered the event and WHK Dubbo plan to enter a team annually to support the worthwhile community event. The Rotary Zoo Fun Run is an iconic Dubbo event organised by the South and West Dubbo Rotary Clubs. Entry fees are donated to Rotary.

Pictured at right are some of the WHK runners and walkers in their team shirts.

WHK Dubbo is involved in numerous other community projects and events.  Some of these include:

• Make a Wish - Andrew Mulholland is President of the local chapter and regularly encourages local WHK staff to support fundraising efforts.
• Blood donations - WHK  won the Small Business Corporate Blood Red Challenge for 2009.
• Meals on wheels: Over 20 volunteers in the Dubbo office help out on a bi-monthly roster to supply meals. 
• World's Greatest Shave - in 2008 six staff members raised over $8000 for the Leukaemia Foundation by shaving or colouring their hair.
• World's Greatest Morning Tea - there is always a great turn out and staff are always willing to cook or donate money for these charities.