Well done, FebFasters!

Our Team SA’s Carol Hampton,
Alisa Wills, Sean Lappin and Kim Holmes
at the FebFast mocktail party
launch last month. 

Congratulations to everyone who took part in FebFast 2011 and helped to raise funds for Mission Australia’s youth services.

More than 7,000 FebFasters completed their four-week break from booze on Monday, ending the month feeling healthier and hopefully proud of their efforts.

Importantly, FebFast enables people to come together to give young people with alcohol and drug related problems a second chance at a healthy life.

So far, FebFasters have raised over $733,000 for youth services across the nation, including three Mission Australia programs - Drug and Alcohol Youth Service (DAYS) in Western Australia; our Hindmarsh Centre’s after-hours mobile youth support service in South Australia, and Youth Beat, which reaches out to young people from it's base at Chigwell House in Glenorchy, Tasmania.

Staff at Mission Australia have raised over $7,600 through FebFast, with our South Australian Team making FebFast’s Top 10 fundraiser list. Coming in at number eight, the team has already raised $3,280 for our youth services. However, with more funds coming in this month the final tally won’t be announced for some time. 

Sean Lappin, Mission Australia’s National Advisor, Homelessness/Housing and the SA Team’s top FebFast fundraiser to date, said the whole FebFast experience was overwhelmingly positive:

“I was inspired by the opportunity to raise money for young people who have drug and alcohol issues, and the chance to contribute to a whole lot of good services provided by Mission Australia and other organisations such as the Ted Noffs Foundation,” Sean said.

“I also enjoyed the opportunity to improve my health and think more about eating better and exercising.”

Well done to all our FebFasters on your fantastic efforts this month. Remember, you can still recruit sponsors until the end of March.

FebFasters begin 28 alcohol-free days

A big thank you to all the FebFasters who have pledged to take a break from booze this month to help raise funds for Mission Australia’s youth services.

So far this fantastic initiative has raised $168,000, with Mission Australia South Australian team making the Top 10 of FebFast fundraisers by raising over $2,000 to help give young people with serious alcohol and drug problems a second chance at a healthy life.

Why not join in? If you’ve yet to register for FebFast, you can still sign up anytime in February - registrations remain open throughout the month.

Apart from doing your wallet and waistline a favour, you’ll also be helping to support Mission Australia services such as DAYS (Drug and Alcohol Youth Service) in Western Australia; our Hindmarsh Centre’s after-hours mobile youth support service in South Australia, and Youth Beat, which reaches out to young people from it's base at Chigwell House in Glenorchy, Tasmania.

The FebFast organisers have come up with another compelling reason to take a break from alcohol this month. A recent FebFast survey found that although after a few drinks 23 percent believe of drinkers believe people find them more attractive, in fact 70 percent of survey respondents do not find people who have been drinking attractive.

Register at www.febfast.com.au (or click the FebFast link on our home page). You can kick-start your fundraising by donating $25 ($10 concession) as a registration fee.

Ban the booze for FebFast and help young Australians

When she was in high school, Carrie* started drinking alcohol every day to feel "happy and numb".

Then, after receiving disappointing Year 12 results three years ago, her life "spiralled out of control" and alcohol began to take control.

"I was a bit suicidal, a bit hopeless and my future was going nowhere," she said. "Mentally, I was in a really bad place and I couldn't dig myself out of it. I was hurting my family really badly."

After receiving counselling, she stayed at the Drug and Alcohol Youth Service (DAYS) in Perth for three weeks.

This program, which is a partnership between Mission Australia and Next Step, provides young people with drug and alcohol issues and their families with a comprehensive range of support services.

"The first week was terrible," Carrie recalled. "But I didn't want to leave because I'd put so much effort and planning into coming (to DAYS) and my family was so proud. I didn't want to let anyone down, least of all myself.”

Carrie is now studying writing at university while working at a pharmacy. She credits DAYS with helping save her life and is participating in FebFast to raise money for the centre.

"DAYS changed my life so much," Carrie said. "I don't like to think about what would have happened if I hadn't (stopped drinking), but I dare say I would probably be taking drugs by now and be waking up in hospital."

FebFast asks people to take a break from booze throughout February in order to raise funds for Mission Australia youth support services.

By taking part you will be supporting services such as DAYS; our Hindmarsh Centre’s after-hours mobile youth support service in South Australia, and Youth Beat, which reaches out to young people from it's base at Chigwell House in Glenorchy, Tasmania.

Time is running out, so register today at www.febfast.com.au (or click the FebFast link on our home page). You can kick-start your fundraising by donating $25 ($10 concession) as a registration fee.

*Name and image have been changed

FebFast - ban booze for a month and help our youth

Feeling worse for wear after the silly season? Why not take part in FebFast and support Mission Australia’s services for young people with serious drug and alcohol issues.

FebFast asks Australians to take a break from the booze during the shortest month. Imagine what 28 alcohol-free days could do for your health and wallet, not to mention waistline - 60 per cent of past FebFast participants lost weight!

By taking part this February you’ll also set a positive example for young Australians. According to the 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, nearly one in 10 young people aged 14 to 19 drink at levels that put them at risk of long-term alcohol-related harm.

In Mission Australia’s National Survey of Young Australians 2010, participants also identified drugs and alcohol as the second-most important issue in Australia today.

Fittingly, any money you raise during FebFast will go towards three Mission Australia services that help young people to overcome drug and alcohol issues.

By forgoing alcohol for four weeks you will contribute to:

• The ongoing management of our Drug and Alcohol Youth Service (DAYS) Residential Rehabilitation program in Western Australia;
• An after-hours mobile support service to operate from the Hindmarsh Centre, which is South Australia’s only youth-specific non-medical sobering-up facility up for young people;
• Maintaining Mission Australia’s Youth Beat bus in Tasmania. Your support will also enable our youth workers to reach out to young people in the Glenorchy area.
• And if you do feel the need to toast a special event (like Valentine’s Day) in February, you can buy a date-stamped ‘Time Out Certificate’ for $25, which gives you a 24-hour break from your FebFast.
• So why not do your body, bank balance and young Australians a favour this February and sign up at www.febfast.com.au. Your $25 ($10 concession) registration fee will kick-start your fundraising.

Once registered, you can build a personalised FebFast page where you can direct your family and friends.

Take a month off the booze this February and make a healthy start to 2011!