BIVIANO’S GALA BALL
Biviano’s sixth annual charity birthday ball swings into action on Thursday August 15 and while this year’s theme is a closely guarded secret for the moment the charity partner for 2019 is Foster Care Angels.
The much-loved Biviano’s gala ball is always held in August to celebrate the fine dining restaurant’s birthday.
Owner Raj Kumar said the idea for the annual dinner came up during discussions on how to celebrate the restaurant’s first birthday at Dural in 2013.
“At the time there had been terrible bushfires so we decided to raise money (to help). It’s always great to support the community and help people in trouble,” he said.
Since the first event the proceeds have helped the victims of the bushfires, floods, The Westmead Children’s Hospital, The Sanctuary_The Hills Women’s Shelter and Tall Timbers, Riding For The Disabled.
“Kids would come to us with just the clothes on their back,” said Kelly.
Every time the couple knew a foster placement was arriving a welcome “care pack” would be placed on each child’s freshly made bed. It would include e a soft toy, a book, a comb and some toiletries.
“We saw the joy on their faces when they saw that,” said Kelly.
Over the years Foster Care Angels and its volunteers have put together thousands of backpacks which are delivered to Family and Community Services to ensure that children taken into care who arrive without the basic essentials are given their own things and something to hug.
This year alone it has delivered 2000 care packs. The busy not for profit now provides courses and workshops for foster carers as well after asking them what support they needed.
Kelly said there are 20,000 kids in Foster Care in NSW with an estimated 1200 carers leaving in the past nine months.”
She said studies have shown a small negative effect that fostering has on the biological children of foster carers which is one of the causes of the decrease. Foster Care Angels has been developing workshops to support the family unit…..
There are also regular carer conferences. Mrs Doyle said they would also love to provide an annual university scholarship to a foster child after providing one to a girl studying social work.
“Less than 3 percent of foster kids go through to university,” she said.
Mag Hosny from Bivianos said it would be an evening of great food and wine with a specially crafted menu for the evening, live entertainment, auctions and raffles.
Castle Hill MP Ray Williams and Hills Mayor Dr Michelle Byrne will be attending and MC for the evening will be Dr Jim Taggart.
Prizes on the night include a $5000 spending spree at Robert Cliff Jewellers. Bivianos is at 628 Old Northern Rd, Dural. Call 9651 2022. Tickets for the Hills Annual Charity Gala Ball on August 15 are $130 and can be purchased trybooking https://www.trybooking. com/book/event?eid=503389&
