A flurry of building activity at Lifestart Nepean has seen the completion of its outside storage shed and thanks to Mark Emelhain for his work. Thanks also to the Great Walk Foundation for providing funding and wish the supporters well for their 2010 Great Walk at the end of May. Finally, video cameras have now been installed in all playrooms to assist with teaching, with thanks to CDSE funding from Penrith Golf Club and St Mary’s Leagues Club.

Two intrepid runners are donning their running shoes to raise funds for Lifestart during May. First, on Saturday 15th May, Lifestart supporter Steve Howlett will run in the 100km North Face Marathon. If you’d like to support Steve log in to www.everydayhero.com.au/steve. Then, the day after on Sunday 16 May, Lifestart dad Mark Skinner is running in the Sydney Half Marathon . If you’d like to support Mark visit his fundraising page at  www.everydayhero.com.au/mark_skinner. Both men would welcome your support as they raise a sweat in support of Lifestart.

The third Lifestart Kayak for Kids was again greeted by wonderful weather as over 700 participants took to the water to paddle all or part of the 17.5km course. At last count the fundraising income for the day was $183,216.45 after off-line donations are taken in to account, just $16,783.55 short of the target of $200,000. Fundraising for Kayak for Kids officially closes at the end of April. Results and photos from the event will be available at the end of the week on www.kayakforkids.com.au. Lifestart extends a big “thank you” to all those people involved, including those who paddled, fundraised or volunteered their time to ensure the success of the day.

All Lifestart families and friends are reminded that they are welcome to attend the family picnic that is being held at Clontarf Reserve as part of Kayak for Kids on Sudnay 28th March. The picnic is generously sponsored by Baiada Select Poultry and runs from 10am to 2pm. There will be a jumping castle, face painter, clown and live entertainment. All families are also welcome to enjoy a delicious Baiada chicken kebab and drink - get your coupon from the Lifestart stand. Our thanks to Manly Lions and Baiada volunteers for staffing the bar-b-cue and picnic activities.

Entries and donations to Kayak for Kids are coming in steadily and are well ahead of last year’s figures. It’s great to see so many new faces, but it’s also great to see regular paddlers such as the Yeung family and the team from Sydney Ultrasound for Women back again. Dez Blanchfield and his Blast Paddling network have been going great guns promoting the event through the paddling community and the number of single entries is well up … as are the team entries. There’s still time to to set up your fundraising page and register to paddle, so if you haven’t already why not do so and join in the party? Our continued thanks to our Principal Sponsor Trust Company, our Event Partner AROC Sport, our Major Sponsor Baiada Select Poultry and our Event Supporter PaddleNSW, whose contributions ensure that every dollar donated to Kayak for Kids goes directly to providing service to our children with additional needs. For more information visit our Kayak for Kids web site.

The staff at 2UE News Radio have gotten behind Kayak for Kids and recorded a Community Service Ad promoting the event. The ad features our Event Ambassador Shelley Oates-Wilding and is now playing. Lifestart will give a free Kayak for Kids rashie and sun hat to anyone who contacts us to report they’ve heard it. We will check times though, so don’t try and trick us! Contact Christopher on 9807 9700.

Despite the rainy weather half a dozen Lifestart Eastern Sydney families turned out with a full kids contingent at the Sydney Football Stadium today to give Lifestart’s support back to one of our best supporters, Baiada Poultry. The Baiada-owned brand Steggles held a media conference to announce their sponsorship of the Sydney City Roosters who will now become - you guessed it - the ‘Steggles Roosters’! An important part of the sponsorship is that the ‘Steggles Roosters’ will work closely with Baiada’s Children’s Charity Nest to raise money for charities it supports, which includes Lifestart. Apart from providing financial support to Lifestart, Baiada also supports us with providing chicken kebabs for many of our events and volunteers to assist with bar-b-cueing and other duties.