Are you looking for great savings on dining, shopping, travel or fun activities? Our supporter Susan is selling the Entertainment book with proceeds going to Shake It Up. Spurred on by a family deeply affected by Parkinson’s, Susan wants to make a difference. You can help too by purchasing an Entertainment Book from Susan.
What Drives Your Commitment to find a cure for Parkinson’s?
Parkinson’s disease has deeply affected my family. We lost our wonderful Dad, Peter, on Christmas Day 2017 at age 78 from complications of the disease. His brother, Michael, passed away at age 67 just over 10 years ago, also from complications of the disease. Two of my brothers are currently living with the effects that Parkies continues to have on their minds and bodies. All were diagnosed around the age of 50. My other brother, my sister and I are all around 50 and, of course, wonder if we, or even our children and grandchildren, may also be diagnosed with Parkies in the future. All of our family members, especially my Sister In Laws, Nieces and Nephews, as well as close friends are affected by Parkies just by seeing our loved ones battle the disease every day.
Thanks to some fantastic research over the years, both of my brothers have had different types of surgeries to help settle the effects of Parkies. Without funding for research through kind donations and fundraising events, this help for them and others may never have been available. There are so many new and exciting research efforts happening now that a possible prevention or cure may eventually be found. That is our constant hope and why we try to do our bit to help through awareness and fundraising.
Why Shake It Up Australia?
When I first heard about Shake It Up and did some research, I could see this was a passionate organisation not only committed to fundraising to find a cure, but committed to raising awareness as well by telling people’s stories. By sharing these real life stories, Parkies becomes a heartfelt reality, not just a name of a disease. The fact that Clyde so selflessly funds the administration costs ensuring 100% of donations go exactly where they are needed also proved to me why this Foundation is worthy of support.
Tell us what you are doing/did to Shake Things Up?
This year I am selling the 2019-2020 Entertainment Books through my online link. The Entertainment Books are full of great savings vouchers for dining, activities, shopping, travel, accommodation and car hire. Examples are 2 for 1 meal deals or 25% off at local restaurants and favourite takeaway spots (McDonalds, Subway etc), movie and bowling deals, save at shops like SpecSavers and Adairs, save 5% off Jestar and Woolworths gift cards, 25% off Captain Cook Cruises, receive member rental rates through Budget, Hertz etc.
Members can re-coup their purchase outlay in no time and find new restaurants and activities they may not have known existed in their own backyard. Anyone anywhere in Australia and New Zealand can purchase any of the 21 editions covering Australia and New Zealand, as well as an exclusive one for Bali, through my link.
Members can save on postage costs by purchasing the Digital Memberships which are becoming more popular with the ease of using an app on their mobile rather than remembering to take vouchers with them. They can also continue to support Shake It Up Foundation as the memberships can easily be renewed each year (wait until you see a new link released or search Shake It Up Australia Foundation when renewing).
If you already have a 2018-2019 membership, then you can also re-new it the 2019-2020 version through my link. This is the link to view the deals offered in each book. https://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/ Either click on the order button from there and search Shake It Up Australia Foundation or click on my direct link
https://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/952j413. This link can also be shared on anyone’s social media pages to help spread the word.
Greatest Reward?
As the Entertainment Book is sold every year, anyone who purchases this year will be invited to renew their memberships next year, so eventually I hope this will grow into an Australia wide annual fundraiser and awareness campaign for Parkies and Shake It Up. I guess my ‘reward’ is seeing my Brothers benefiting from new options that are opening up to them, hearing stories of other people improving in different ways and of future developments happening all due to the combined efforts of amazing scientists, researchers, organisations, supporters and fundraisers.
Best advice for people looking to Shake It Up?
Every dollar helps and is appreciated so don’t hesitate because you think you need to raise thousands of dollars or have to host a major event. Just jump in and do what you can. If 100 people raise $50 each then that’s another $5,000 into research!
There are plenty of ways you can make a difference, whether it is participating in an athletic event, hosting your own event, buying a ticket in the Play for Purpose Raffle of making a donation. Visit our Getting Involved page to learn more
