The three day TravelManagers’ annual National Conference kicked off in Perth last Friday, 9 August 2019, and as part of the conference giving back to the community, a small team of National Partnership Office representatives and partner suppliers joined with Ronald McDonald House Charities Western Australia last Thursday night to participate in an initiative known as “Home for Dinner”, providing home-cooked dinners for families staying at Ronald McDonald House, as well as co-ordinating decorations, entertainment and a few surprises for the kids.
TravelManagers’ Executive General Manager Michael Gazal, one of the most important and anticipated components of TravelManagers’ annual conference is the opportunity to give back to the community by partnering with a local charity. In previous years this has involved renovating a school in Fiji and building bikes for under-privileged children in Sydney; this year the company has chosen to join forces with Ronald McDonald House Charities Western Australia, who provide a ‘home away from home’ for regional Western Australian families of seriously ill children receiving hospital treatment in Perth.
(L-R)- Julia McLean, Julie Anderson, Karen Dowling and Sally McCallum
“When families have to travel far from home to receive specialised medical treatment, seeking accommodation in an unfamiliar place only adds to their fear and uncertainty,” Gazal explains. “To support them in providing a safe, happy haven for those families, our PTMs, NPO team members and supplier and media partners have been invited to donate an item to one of two programs: Books on Beds, which provides a new book for every child that stays overnight, or Arts & Crafts, contributing much-needed supplies to their learning centre.”
Gazal says the decision to support Ronald McDonald House this year was an easy one, given that key values of the charity (Family, Excellence, Integrity, Inclusion and Energy) closely align with TravelManagers’ own values.
“The opportunity to work together each year in helping another amazing organisation connects us as a group and remains as a lasting memory of the TravelManagers conference experience. If we can make just a small difference in families’ lives, it makes our conference experience that much more meaningful.”
TOP IMAGE: TravelManagers and partner suppliers provided a team of 15 amateur but enthusiastic chefs to prepare dinner for families at Ronald McDonald House in Perth – Back row (L-R) Joe Araullo, Gena Signorini (Amadeus), Lance Dye (Carnival), Sally McCallum, Michael Morrissey (Allianz), Lisa Gair (APT), Julie Anderson, Kellie Browning, Michael Gazal, Karen Dowling, Louise (RMH Head Chef), Julia McLean. Front row (L-R) Linda Hussey (Uniworld), Brigitta Tolic (Qantas Airways) Lauren Compton and Jodie Payne.
