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ABOUT AWLQ Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ) is a Gold Coast based organisation which was started in 1959 and works with councils and the community to improve the outcomes for abandoned and homeless pets. AWLQ strives to give every animal in need a second chance at life and promises never to euthanise a healthy, sociable or treatable animal in their care. As a result they have one of the lowest euthanasia rates in Australia for a shelter of our size. AWLQ’s Rehoming Program is one of the most successful in the country, with an average of 120 animals each week being adopted from their Animal Rehoming Centres. The team of volunteers and animal-care attendants are dedicated to providing a high quality of care and meeting each animals’ unique needs through training and enrichment programs. This year, 6115 animals were rehomed through adoption and rescue groups. In addition 3,791 animals were reunited with their owners.

www.awlqld.com.au

PASSIONATE ANIMAL LOVERS GIVE BACK

Passionate animal lovers Kerry serving as the Chair of the Home and Shannon Bell have had a Owners Committee (HOC). longstanding relationship with the Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ). They joke that their dog Hamish might be the most famous member of the Bell family, having starred in

“We love animals and we love what the Halcyon’s latest TV commercial.

AWLQ does as they rehome animals rather than euthanase,” Shannon said. “He’s already told me he wants a new agent,” Kerry joked of their beloved pet,

“We have volunteered with them many an eight-year-old West Highland Terrier times over the years and its always who they’ve had since he was a puppy. rewarding to be able to give back.” The couple jumped at the chance to

Kerry and Shannon are longtime refer their friends Phil and Jan Wregg to

Gold Coast residents and moved Greens, and see the Friends of Halcyon into Halcyon Waters at Hope Island program as a win-win for all parties. before making the move to Halcyon Greens at Pimpama a few years ago. “We win because our friends get to move in, the charity gets a

“We joke that we have lived from Palm donation and Halcyon gets some

Beach to Pimpama,” Kerry said. great homeowners,” Kerry said.

“We love Halcyon and the facilities “We also love that you get to choose here at Greens are incredible.” the charity you want to donate to

The couple are heavily involved in the Greens community with Kerry rather than it being dictated as it’s an opportunity to give back to something you’re passionate about.” LifeBeginsatHalcyon.com.au

Hamish Bell, Halcyon Greens

Kerry, Shannon and Hamish Bell, Halcyon Greens

PERSONAL HEARTBREAK INSPIRES PAUL AND MARIE

Marie Madeley tears up when she talks about Micah Projects, the charity she and husband Paul have made a donation to.

“They help homeless people get accommodation and back on their feet,” she said. “They helped our daughter, she has had a lot of problems with drugs.” Paul added: “She was living on the street and Micah Projects were instrumental in finding her accommodation.” He said addiction, and in particular ice addiction, was not uncommon and affects every part of society. “Our daughter is 30 and her addiction has been going on for six years,” he said. “She’s been clean, on and off, but she’s fallen back into it, which as you can imagine is a tough position for us. He said they were grateful to be able to help Micah Projects, which often struggles to get the same sort of attention and funding as larger charities. “We are appreciative that Halcyon do help in such a generous way,” he said. “And it’s wonderful that we are able to choose the charities which mean something to us.”

www.micahprojects.org.au

Judy and Russell Linwood, Halcyon Greens

FORMER ARMY OFFICER DIGS DEEP FOR HIS SOLDIERS

Of the 125,000 military veterans living in Queensland, one-third are doing well while the remainder suffer mental health issues, substance abuse and thoughts of suicide.

Statistics former Army officer and Duntroon graduate, Halcyon Greens’ homeowner Russell Linwood finds utterly unacceptable, which is why he and wife Judy chose to support a Gold Coast based charity called Veterans Care. “They are an organisation run by a friend of mine and they often are the difference between ex veterans ending their life prematurely or trying to make a go of it,” Russell said. Veterans Care runs live-in camps and programs designed to support and nurture veterans, many of them struggling to make it to the end of each day. “The money will help teach them the practical and psychological value of being loved and cared for by a society which deployed them to war.” he said. “It gives them back purpose and the realisation that their lives are valuable.”

*Russell and wife Judy kindly donated their entire Friends of Halcyon referral bonus. http://www.veteranscare.com.au

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