Advantage Air has a strong commitment to give back to the local community. Recent highlights include:
Bicton School - After the school suffered extensive damage in a tornado, Advantage Air supported a fund raising initiative by way of donation of the components needed to install a new ducted air conditioning system.
Bethel Community Services- Offered $20,000 of air con systems for their raffles. BCS are a not for profit organisation that supports younger teenagers with no father figure with peer support from older teenagers. The Service goes on trips and character building weekends to help give young Australians a better chance with tomorrow.
Support of the 'Advantage Air Africa Place of Safety'. A home for abused and abandoned babies in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The centre is run by Debbie Devoy, wife of a well known Port Elizabeth jockey Shannon Devoy, and functions as a non-profit organisation. The aim of the centre is to provide mothers, who can no longer care for their children, a safe place to take them. The centre can accommodate up to 10 babies, accepts babies up to one year old and looks after them for an average of 2 months before they are adopted or placed with foster parents. We are looking to move into a larger building to accommodate more in November, 2007.
Project 88 in Sanctuary Cove, Queensland, is supported by Advantage Air through the supply of a free Gen III system for the house. The house will be auctioned off and the proceeds go towards building playgrounds at children's hospitals around Australia. We feel priviledged to be involved with the parties in the cause, like the George Gregan Foundation. For more on Project 88, please see http://www.harte.com.au/Pages/charity.htm .
Advantage Air, in conjunction with their continued running of the Advantage Air House for orphans in South Africa, has donated the proceeds of 4 complete Gen 3 systems towards the Kitgum refuge for children and young adults in Uganda. The aim of the cause- selling one dedicated system per state branch- was to raise enough ($60,000) to build a new school desperately needed by the swelling population of destitute in Uganda.
Childcare Kitgum Servants was started by Irene Gleeson, in 1991, with 20 children. In 2007, the people directly benefiting from their presence has grown to over 6000. Of that figure, 3000 primary school students receive free education, food, clothing, water and wash facilities. Another 1000 young adults receive vocational training, cost free.
Irene's story is truly a remarkable one and Advantage Air encourages you to give your full support to her cause. For more, please visit Kitgum's website at http://www.cks.org.au/ and lend your support.
The NSW system was bought by Nick and Sally, in Beverley Hills. Below is a quick interview we conducted with them.
Q: "Nick, How do you feel knowing that the proceeds from your air conditioning system have gone to build a school for underprivileged kids in Uganda?...
A: "It feels Good. If it helps their lives be a little bit easier then that is great."
Q: "On the installation side of things, How was Paul and his team?....
A: "Put it this way, we have never come across anyone in any of the trades that we have dealt with over the year's who were as quick, thorough and professional as Paul and his family! My Dad agrees, and you know how hard it is to please the old school tradies!"
Q: "So how have you and Sally found the Air Conditioning System?"
A: "Excellent... No complaints - particularly good at the moment, its been freezing outside but we've been toasty... all good."
And, of course, the Under 11 Waneroo Rugby team- go boys!