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Tuesday 17 September 2013

Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation Launch

People who experience tragedy, then go on to want to help others by forming a foundation in honour of their family member or friend are God's gift. 

To step outside of yourself and your grief, and do something deeply meaningful to help others - even though your loved one can never be brought back to life - is the definition of selflessness, strength, and courage.


Pioneers like Garry Lynch (whose daughter was Anita Cobby), and people like the Zammit family (whose son and brother was Doujon Zammit, and have been active in several foundations), have lived their lives post-trauma in this way: their purpose is to help others.

More recently, the Thomas Kelly Foundation was formed, borne out of the tragic death of young man Thomas Kelly, who was hit on his first night out in Sydney's Kings Cross in July 2012.


I could barely watch this video - produced by News Limited, and part of the 'Real Heroes Walk Away' campaign - but it is essential viewing. Watch and share this blog post, so more people can see it:


From the Thomas Kelly foundation site:

"Australians love a drink and some see no problem at all with drinking to excess.
So it may not come as a surprise to hear that most families today, in some way, are affected
by alcohol abuse. The latest finding by FARE show that each year in Australia, the harm from 
others people's drinking results in:

70,000 victims of alcohol-related violence;
24,000 victims of domestic violence;
20,000 victims of alcohol-related child abuse;
14,000 hospitalisations;
367 deaths



While the overall incidence of alcohol-related crime varies in each state in Australia, one thing is
clear, the violence associated with alcohol abuse is getting more extreme. 

And that's why we're calling on our governments to target the main catalyst for violence by
reducing the availability and supply of alcohol in our community."

The Thomas Kelly Foundation is holding an official launch event at Sydney's The Star venue on Wednesday 18 September.

The description of the event from the site:

"Australians have had enough of turning on their television sets every weekend to hear about
alcohol-fuelled street violence on our streets. The situation is threatening the right of every
Australian to walk down the streets of their cities for fear of becoming a victim of this violence.
It's time as a community that we collectively come together and say "Never Again".
The funds raised by your generous support will assist the Foundation in making our streets safer
and preventing alcohol-fuelled violence in our community.

The Kelly Family."

If you'd like to go along to the event go here, or if you'd like to donate, go here.

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