Being the Presenter of an evening Magazine-style news show is a glamorous job, and winning a Gold Logie Award is a glamorous affair. So when Carrie Bickmore turned up to claim her award in 2015 wearing a Beanie, it caused a sensation. Which is just what she wanted, because it gave focus to the 10-year battle her husband Greg had just lost to brain cancer.
The Project host took advantage of the media attention to promote her hopes to raise a million dollars for brain cancer research.
Ten years later it has surpassed $20 million and spawned a number of similar charities all over the world.
The fundraising idea was not entirely new. A Beannie Festival had been an annual event in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory since 1997 when local teacher Adi Dunlop began showing Indigenous women from the remote community of Yendumumu how to crochet. The women made 100 creative toppers which Adi took back to the Alice and sold to her friends at a ‘beanie Party’ with the proceeds going back to the community.
With the exception of COVID years, the event has been held in the last week of June, and this year is no exception. Now led by a Beaniologist at Beanie Central, 6,369 beanies of all shapes, colors and sizes are waiting for owners. In addition to the proceeds going back to the community, the purpose of the Association is to promote participation in the arts, reduce poverty and dependency by developing artistic and entrepreneurial skills – and of most importance – promote reconciliation.
A Win/Win situation.
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