Christmas joy in the park

Christmas is one of the toughest times of the year for the people Mission Australia helps, simply for the reason that at its heart is a celebration of love, family and joy.

For many of the people that we help, these things are few and far between. So it is with great pleasure, and the kind support of over 400 wonderful volunteers, that we are hosting the 36th annual Christmas Lunch in the Park (CLIP) celebration this year.

CLIP is Mission Australia’s annual event held for individuals and families in Perth that may feel isolated, disadvantaged or lonely. CLIP is a shining example of the way that Mission Australia is able to touch the lives of thousands of West Australians each year.

Every guest will enjoy a traditional Christmas lunch under an air-conditioned marquee, receive a gift and enjoy entertainment throughout the day. Santa will distribute donated gifts and volunteers will welcome each guest as they arrive.

It is only thanks to our generous army of volunteers, donors and supporters that this magical event springs to life. Parents, children, grandparents and those without anyone – or anywhere – to share Christmas, will enjoy a day of simple pleasures under the CLIP tent.

On Christmas Day, veteran volunteer, Rob D’Souza, will slip into his CLIP Event Supervisor role and oversee the smooth running of the celebration for up to 2,000 guests. A smile spreads across Rob’s face as he explains why he keeps coming back, year after year to help out at CLIP.

“I decided there was a better way to spend Christmas – giving rather than receiving. Once I started, I found it hard to stop. I feel good when I see the joy in peoples’ eyes during the lunch and with the gifts; knowing that people do care and they have somewhere to spend Christmas, rather than being alone.”

The planning for this iconic Perth event starts months before the big day. Volunteers help out with tasks ranging from registering volunteers, to gift wrapping, gift distribution and games coordination.

As long-time volunteer Frank Parker explains, the most important role is that of each table host. “These volunteers are at the frontline and interact with our guests, ensuring they feel welcome and included,” he says. This is the very essence of CLIP – it is an opportunity for so many people who are overlooked for the rest of the year
to be included and interact socially.

Over the 15 years that Rob has been helping out at CLIP, he has met hundreds of special people. A touching moment Rob remembers was one year when he bumped into a lady in the park on Christmas Day who asked him what was going on.

“When I told her, she burst into tears,” Rob recalls. “She told me that her husband had suffered a heart attack and was taken to Royal Perth Hospital. She had come down to the park to clear her head. I took her into the CLIP marquee and gave her a meal and some presents to take back for her kids. Just then, her phone rang and it was the hospital – they said that her husband was okay and she could come and see him. She looked at me and said, “Truly there is a God.”

Thank you to all of our wonderfully generous supporters and volunteers who give so much to the people who come to Mission Australia in need, not just at Christmas time, but throughout the year.