Hundreds Turn Out To Show QLD Is In Their Hearts

Gold Coast, Australia – 12th February 2011 – Thirty six Grantham residents were VIP guests of the Heartwave Beach Walk that took place this morning at Gold Coast’s Currumbin Beach to raise money for QLD flood victims. They joined sporting heroes like ironman Zane Holmes and surfers Joel Parkinson and Wayne Rabbit Bartholomew alongside an estimated five hundred Gold Coast locals for the hour-long fundraising walk.

The event culminated in attendees circling their Grantham guests in a giant heart shape formation to send a visual message of love and support to all those affected by the catastrophic Queensland floods and cyclone Yasi.

Grantham local Nat Walter, who spent a harrowing 48hrs fearing the worst for her missing husband when floodwaters tore through Grantham, became for many the face of the Lockyer Valley disaster when a TV crew captured the couple’s joyful reunion.  Their story captured the nation as a rare happy ending amongst the devastation, and so it’s fitting Nat was the contact assisting Heartwave organizers to coordinate a special day out for the Grantham residents.

“The event has been fantastic, unreal, amazing.  The love and support shown by everyone today has been overwhelming.”  Nat said, adding the group’s oungsters had been particularly looking forward to the event. “Thekids have been really excited about the whole thing. I know my own children were up bright and early at 4.30am, even though we didn’t need to catch the bus until 6.30.”

“It’s really made their little smiles come out again, which is good because us Mums and Dads have been so busy running around trying to put our lives back in order. The usual life things have been put on a backburner. The kids are back at school at Grantham, and they really are so resilient, but it’s still been nice to give them something fun to look forward to.”

The Grantham group will spend the remainder of the day enjoying lunch at Currumbin SLSC and touring Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, and will take home gift bags from Billabong, Havaianas and Happy Days Diaries.

Heartwave was supported by GCCC, CURRUMBIN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, BILLABONG, KELLOGGS, SAND, COOL RIDGE WATER, HOGARTH STUDIO, FAST PROOF PRESS, HAVAIANAS, SURFING QUEENSLAND, STRYKER MEDIA, HAPPY DAYS DIARY, and CURRUMBIN SLSC.

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