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Australian athletes working towards the Paris 2024 Paralympics are set to gain a crucial funding boost from of a series of gala events hosted by the National Disability Leadership Organisation, which is the charity arm of Developing Australian Communities.
The three gala dinners are a powerful opportunity for leading companies and businesses to show support for the ideals of Paralympics Australia, the nation’s peak sporting organisation for people with a disability, and play a vital role in the progress of athletes vying to represent Australia at the world’s third-largest sporting event, in Paris in August next year.
Gala dinners will take place in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne for the Disability Staff Recognition Awards, where Developing Australian Communities has deemed Paralympics Australia this year’s funding recipient.
Organisers are calling on corporate Australia to join in celebrating the achievements of unsung heroes in the community sector and, while doing so, help Australia’s most promising Para-athletes reach their peak on the world stage.
“It’s deeply gratifying that Developing Australian Communities and the wider network of disability service providers has chosen to get behind Paralympics Australia in this way,” Paralympics Australia’s Senior Manager of Fundraising, Chantel Plum, said.
“Being associated with the Disability Staff Recognition Awards is appropriate because we at Paralympics Australia are all about offering people with a disability the chance to participate in sport and gain the many positive outcomes that come from it.
“From those opportunities emerge athletes who have the talent and commitment to reach elite international level and it’s our job to provide them with the optimal resources and environment so they can prepare and perform at their best and inspire all Australians to live a positive and healthy lifestyle.”
NDLO Co-Founder, River Night, said the 2023 Gala dinners were focused on raising funds to support the next generation of Paralympians.
“Those Australian Para-athletes training and working hard to represent us on an international stage need support now and every year leading up to each Paralympics.
“We need to see corporate Australia investing and supporting Para-athletes so that they can focus on training and be valued as leaders in our community.
“Every sponsor dollar and ticket sale goes towards funds raised for Paralympics Australia. We must see strong investment in the Galas by corporate Australia so that the funds raised go to support our athletes and reduce venue and events costs.
“We have secured a major sponsor for the Brisbane Disability Staff Recognition … and are reaching out to ask corporate Australia to sponsor our events and key areas now in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.”
For more information on how corporate Australia can raise funds to support the next generation of Paralympic talent, please email fundraising@paralympic.org.au
By: David Sygall, Paralympics Australia
Posted: 24 February 2023
