The Yule season is upon us

Music, Food, Decorations, Phone Calls, Guest Speakers, Prizes, Sponsors, Silent Auction, Dessert, Merchandise, Tokens, Wine, Soft Drink, Material and Dinnerware.

The past three months of life as a Deluminator have existed with little else.

When Zoe, Sasha and I begun brainstorming potential campaigns this time last year, when 'The Deluminators' still could have been called 'Bertie Botts Every Flavour Team' and the three of us were our only members - this Yule Ball was already whirring away in our minds.

It figures then, that irrespective of circumstance or practicality - this ball was going to happen. Incidentally, when we arrived at our monthly meeting in late September, still exhausted from the logistical nightmare of Project Lily, and with a depressingly dry bank account - it was pointed out to us that we were insane to suggest a fundraising ball.

Yet three months later, as our tired group of members wearily packed up the hall at 12am, we were flooded with the unbelievable reality that we had achieved and surpassed our initial goal - the ball had been a success!

It would be remiss of me at this stage to not thank our fantastic sponsors, without whom we could not have donated 100% of the proceeds from the night to the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women's Shelter.

Thank you Turramurra Community Bank and McConnell Bourn for your support and your faith in our cause. We could not have funded the bulk of the night without the financial backing you offered us.

The Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women's Shelter has been in the works for well over a year now to combat a specific need in the Hornsby area. After it's official opening on Thursday 4th December, it is now beginning its transformative work in supporting homeless women who have been victims of domestic violence.

For more information please visit their website

Let me set the scene for you.

The night is Saturday December 6th 2014.
The full moon hangs discreetly in the sky behind the heavy rain clouds that obscure it.
Rain is falling thickly on the roof of Ku-ring-gai Town Hall - an historic building to serve as your Hogwarts for the night.
Deluminators members have been setting up the hall for 7 hours.
Energy levels are low.
Excitement levels are high.
It's 7pm.
You are about to arrive.

I would like to take a moment to thank our fantastic members for their effort, their dedication, their endurance and their talent. Without all of you, this ball could not have happened.

Thank you Gabby Bate, Olivia Lyndon, Liz Lyon, Joanna Van Zeller, Alex Nielson, Em Robey, Caitlin McColl, Viv Heath, Christine Wilson, Maddy Carr, Alex Bertulis-Fernandes, Jonny Anthony, Jharna Chamlagai and Alice Probert.

Everything from the frosted candleholders to the coloured table runners to the photo booth items to the tree at the front of the hall was laboriously made by our members. Most of the work went in long before we began setting up the hall.

You are huddling under your umbrella.
Surrounded by over 150 other guests.
Everyone is dressed in ball gowns, suits, dress robes and Hogwarts uniforms.

You step off a rainy Pymble street and are instantly transported thousands of miles across the ocean ... into the Great Hall at Hogwarts.

The rain cannot dampen the atmosphere you see before you.

You are immediately opened up to the hauntingly beautiful sound of Hannah Robinson's acoustic set. Hannah captures the atmosphere and amplifies it, setting a tone for a fantastic night to come.

Hannah kindly donated 20% of the proceeds from CD sales toward the shelter, an offer we are incredibly grateful for.

Like Hannah on facebook

Before you find your seat, you spend some time perusing our Diagon Alley Merchandise table.

With Wands made by Christine Wilson.

House Wristbands made by Jharna Chamlagai

Snitch and Dirigible Plum Earrings made by Maddy Carr

Limited edition House Posters designed by Jonny Anthony

Full Moon Earrings donated by Ravish Designs

PRODUCTS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE ON OUR ETSY STORE WITHIN THE COMING WEEK. STAY TUNED!

You then spend some time enjoying our 22-piece silent auction table, notably containing Mrs Weasleys house Scarves, A Fox Sports behind the scenes experience, Arbonne luxury Spa Set and film packs from Transmission Films.

Thanks to all of our sponsors of the silent auction:

Road Less Taken

Ravish Designs

Transmission Films

Emilia Jager

Michael Chetham Photography

Pro Dive Lord Howe Island

Lauren Paul

Fox Sports

Bloomsbury Publishing Australia

The Salon for Hair

Anne Kenyon - Arbonne

La Costa Motel

Chatswood Musical Society

The Jolly Green Grocer

Kim Prodinger

Mrs Weasley

You see our noble member and RSA license holder Caitlin McColl holding fort behind the bar of the Leaky Cauldron. A bar that is plentifully stocked thanks to some significant donations by Tom's Cellars and Coles Turramurra.

Behind the stage you see our 'photo booth' - full of fun Harry Potter decorations for you to customise your photos with.

The night has barely started, but as you find your seat, 7 lucky guests discover a horcrux hidden beneath their chairs. As a reward for their bravery, they are awarded giant Christmas lollipops from Suga Confectionary.

To kick off the night and sort the fans from the spectators, Deluminators member Alex Bertulis-Fernandes conducts a fun Harry Potter themed game of Head and Tales.

The competition is tense, but Vivi comes out on top as the winner.

She wins a lovely box of fresh Cherries donated by the Princes Street Fruit Shop Turramurra ... as well as a surprise serenade by the talented Barkershop Quartet.

Thank you Lachy Day, Dom Westwood, Tim Kelly and Nick Greenberg.

Like The Barkershop Quartet on Facebook

It then becomes time for a delicious Hogwarts Feast, with bread rolls from Bakers Delight Hornsby, salad from Salad Servers and some delicious beef from Bassets Catering. You pile your plate high from the buffet table and head back to your seat at your house table, enjoying a classic Hogwarts meal with friends.

As you finish your meal, you listen to two inspiring guest speakers.

John Lockyer from the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women's Shelter helps qualify the money raised on the night in terms of what it will mean for homeless women in the Hornsby region. Giving weight to the night and a sense of purpose to the money raising that is at the core of the event. John makes us all feel lucky for the lives we lead, and the hope we have within us - hope that we can use, like with a Deluminator, to redistribute to those who need it most.

Despite not being much of a Harry Potter fan, John gratefully accepted the theme. Choosing to dress up as Severus Snape. We love his effort.

We were honoured also that Kim Pearce from the Possibility Project offered to speak to us on the night. Kim ties all of the ideas we had been discussing, and the tangible results John had shared into a feeling of connectivity amongst our guests. She speaks of the giving atmosphere within the hall and encourages us to support the shelter in every way we can. She inspires us all, and humbles everyone through her words on the importance of the occasion through her universal message of community.

Formalities are through. The music starts and you begin to dance.

Thank you to Set by the Sea, for their fantastic improvised acoustic set. When you discover that the acoustics of a hall can't handle a drum kit 2hrs before an event, it takes a lot of talent to still be able to go on and perform. It takes even more to go on and perform as superbly as they did.

For an indie rock band with no wizard rock experience, they pulled off excellent renditions of 'Save Ginny Weasley', 'Granger Danger' and 'Do the Hippogriff'. We are your biggest fans.

Thank you Stephen Bobb, Alex Bobb, Sam Moschatos and Tom Bonnell.

Like Set by the Sea on Facebook

The music has stopped. You are exhausted and all danced out. You resume seating at your house table. Time for another game, heads and tales - who invented that? Witch? or Wizard? Led by Deluminators member Gabby Bate.

After some heavy competition, Dennis comes out on top as our winner, winning a $50 voucher from Lindfield Bookstore.

Whilst everyone around you finalises their silent auction bids and raffle ticket purchases. You move over to the buffet to collect your delicious dessert, as well as tea and coffee kindly donated by Withams Coffee.

Then the winners are announced for the raffle, Jim, Jo and Chris win three prizes - a $100 Hurricanes Voucher, an exciting confectionary hamper from Stuart Alexander and a Pamper Hamper.

The Silent Auction is also announced, after some exciting competition.

The award for the most exciting bidding war of the night must go to the box set of Hardcover Harry Potter books with new cover designs by Jonny Duddle. An item that sold to Deluminators member Liz Lyon for above the recommended retail price. Thanks for your contribution Liz.

Set by the Sea comes back on for their second set, and you head back to the dance floor after an enjoyable night of charity, fun and house pride.

The following day, you go on facebook after having liked The Deluminators to discover that Ravenclaw has won the house cup by the narrow margin of 15 points; due to their outstanding contribution to the fundraising on the night.

There is a certain feeling of exhaustion, nostalgia and and happiness that I have come to associate with the end of big campaigns such as this.

Campaigns where all of the hard work pays off, where all of us Deluminators can sit down at the end of the day and say 'we did that'. We are a group of people joined together by a common purpose, a group of people who most likely would never have met if not for this organisation. It is so amazing to be able to look back and realise that you don't need to be old and experienced to start changing the world; because we are.

We are a small group of people from Sydney, aged 14-24. A group of people in the demographic many consider to be lazy.

What I feel at the end of campaigns such as this ... is pride.

Pride in the Deluminators, pride in our members, but more importantly - pride in the world we live in.

Through planning the event, we had countless organisations and people offering to sponsor costs of the night. 156 people bought tickets to come to our Yule Ball. Many of them strangers to us, most of them blindly trusting that we were genuine. The world may have a lot of issues, dark wizards may still be at large, but I trust in the goodness of humans. I trust in their desire for a better world.

Thank you to everyone involved, you are truly an inspiration. We raised $12,000 from our ball. $12,000 that has the potential to change the lives of women who need it most.

This final figure is amazing, but it goes further than that. Money is one thing, mentality is another. The Deluminators are creating a mentality amongst ourselves, our peers and all those we touch through our campaigns. A mentality that says social change does not need to be hard, it can merely be a direction through which you direct your passions and your self.

As J.K Rowling said "We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided"

Thank you for standing with us as we strive to make a better world.

Sean

Let's Get Graphical

In the last few months, we have been extremely blessed with the existence of Jonny Anthony in The Deluminators world. First as a friend, then as a member and now our Artistic Director (hilariously inside joke name to come). Jonny has designed logos, invitations, thank you cards, page headers and is currently dreaming up wonderful ideas for decorating the Ku-ring-gai Town Hall for our upcoming event: Luna's First Annual Yule Ball. Did I mention he's donating all of his time and artwork?

On a more sobering note, it is with the generosity and creativity of members like Jonny that we are able to do what we do.

Please support our wonderful Jonny. 

Check out his website - http://www.redbubble.com/people/jonnyanthony

You should also come along to the Yule Ball to see his creation and to bid on a canvas print of one of his beautiful designs.

Tickets are available from www.trybooking.com/FZQD

(Yay for my first blog entry!)
<3 Zoe

Project Lily

“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” – J.K. Rowling

The Deluminators had the opportunity to do something very unique and special on August 3rd. We negotiated with Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, called insurance companies, printed gorgeous postcards, flyers and purchased some dazzling coloured roses from Kelvin Hall's Floral Design. Why? Because we wanted to celebrate the love and hope of Esther day by reflecting on the love in our own lives and passing it on to strangers.

 

‘Esther day’ is a day introduced by author and video blogger John Green. John is a person we admire very much in our passion for the Harry Potter Alliance and also in our lives as Nerdfighters. In 2010, he had the great pleasure of getting to know the beautiful soul of Esther Earl who was very ill with cancer at the time of their meeting and whom he dedicated his bestselling novel 'The Fault in Our Stars' to. A few weeks before Esther passed away in 2010, John told her that he and his fellow video blogger and brother, Hank Green would make videos about whatever she wanted every year on her birthday (August 3rd). Esther decided that she wanted the day to be about celebrating love for family and friends, a day for people to tell the people they love that they love them, especially if they find that difficult on a regular day. Or as John puts it, ‘a Valentine’s day for the rest of love’. And so Esther day was born! And what a blessing it is.

The HPA celebrates Esther day in different ways throughout different chapters. Our idea for the day was to set up a stall in the middle of our beautiful city, beside the harbour and give away free flowers and postcards expressing beautiful messages and encouraging people to pass on the love. We dubbed the campaign 'Project Lily' in reference to the flowers we passed on, and Lily Potter's undying love. Thankfully, August 3rd found itself to be a day of sunshine and cool breezes. We set up our abundant stall with 300 (let's forget the 4 that broke in the car) roses. They were yellow, dappled orange, peach and bright pink. How happy they looked! We fanned out the gorgeous green postcards and draped signs and paper people holding hands from every visible vertical and horizontal surface. We hoped to receive donations on the day also if people were willing, to go to 'This Star Won't Go Out', the charity founded by Esther's parents that seeks to lighten the financial burden of families with sick children in order to give them more quality time with each other. The stall looked magnificent and we were so excited to have the chance to make a small difference in somebody's day. A difference that could lighten their perspective in one moment, which could lead to another, which could reassure them of love and of their place in this world.

The first lady to approach our stall was hesitant, but once she understood that the roses were free, and we were actually offering love from our heart to hers, her entire face lit up. It was evident that she felt special and appreciated and it all became worth it. Throughout the day people reacted vastly differently to our offerings of love. The majority of people accepted our offering with graciousness and promised to pass it on. Some highlights from the day include several toddlers who took roses and seemed to understand the gesture in the clearest and most beautiful way. They immediately turned to the parent accompanying them and passed the flower on with a smile.

We were overwhelmed by the number of people deliberately returning to our stall to empty their coin pockets. One woman cried, another fervently promised us she would remember Esther, several thanked us for making their day. Throughout the afternoon and into the night, pictures appeared on Instagram using the ‘AUSestherday hashtag, thanking us for the gift and wishing everyone a happy Esther day. A favourite among these was from a lovely guy who had been working at his own job not far from where we were. He was looking a little lonely and lost so we had approached him and offered him a yellow rose. He posted the picture of the rose later that day with the hashtag ‘#daymade’. Ours certainly was!

From coin donations on the day alone, we raised nearly $200 for TSWGO. We hope that donations will continue to come in through our Indiegogo page, so we will have a lovely donation to give to TSWGO by the end of the month. Most importantly however, we were fortunate enough to spread a tonne of love!

We truly hope all of you out there had as special an Esther day as we did. We loved laughing, chatting and smiling with strangers who needed the same affection as we all do. Thank you for your continuing belief and support. NEVER doubt your power to make a difference in someone’s day; it could be the difference that alters them for the better.

Much love and all the gorgeous roses in the world,

Sasha

A Blog of Gratitude, by Rabbi Nicole Roberts

(A Deluminator would surely come up with more catchy title than this, but I’m only a rabbi, so bear with me…)

I want to say “thank you” to three of the most inspiring people with whom I’ve crossed paths in the past few months:  Sean Landis, Sasha Landis, and Morgan Baynash.  Earlier in the year I witnessed their efforts to collect books and promote literacy in less privileged communities.  I watched them schlep said books around our synagogue into vehicles barely big enough to hold them.  And I heard that Sean was now speaking to groups of kids in other parts of Jewish Sydney about his efforts to “fight world suck.”  So I invited Sean to come address our group of North Shore Temple Emanuel teenagers and b’nai mitzvah students, so that he could shed some light for us on what all the fuss was about.  Next thing I knew, our congregation was gifted with not just one, but THREE (count ‘em, three!) Deluminators coming to address our group, along with an awesome PowerPoint presentation and a series of really fun YouTube videos about their amazing work.  These three Deluminators shared with us the story of how they created a Sydney Chapter of the Harry Potter Alliance where there wasn’t one before.  They told us how they had applied their passion for reading to tikkun olam—repairing the world.  And most importantly, they conveyed how much fun they’ve had in the process of doing all this, inspiring each of us to contemplate what it is we are passionate about, to embrace our inner nerd, and to put our unique talents to use in spreading more “awesome” to people and places in need.

So thank you, you three amazing Deluminators, for your awesomeness and nerdiness, of course, but also for your determination, your energy, your passion, your professionalism, your commitment, your compassion, your social conscience, your kindness, your cheerfulness, and your time.

Thank you for your presentation, which kept us all engaged for the entire hour, and made us laugh and want to get involved. Thank you for being “social entrepreneurs,” who didn’t just sit back and lament the lack of a Harry Potter Alliance here, but took the initiative to create one yourselves.  THIS IS A UNIQUE AND PRECIOUS TRAIT, and it makes me so proud to know you and be part of your congregation.

Thank you for thinking creatively.
Thank you for using your passions for good, and making social action fun.
Thank you for inspiring our NSTE teens to follow your lead.
Thank you for collecting 9,512 books for communities in need.
Thank you for the blood you gave, for Project Lily, and for Esther Day.
Thank you for sharing the awesome that’s in your souls.
Thank you for the light you spread, to a world so desperately in need.

Rabbi Nicole Roberts

Care of Magical Creatures

Hello readers and friends,

Mad Cow of the Deluminators here to discuss my ‘pet’ project, Care of Magical Creatures!

As Sirius Black, good guy and part-time dog himself, once said – “Judge a man not by how he treats his equals but by how he treats his inferiors”. We concur. Now I’m not convinced ‘inferior’ is the word to describe the non-human, but at the same time we do hold a position of superiority over them. We have great power and responsibility, and frankly in a lot of areas we haven’t done amazingly with either of those things. When it comes to the unacceptable circumstances in which we’ve put our furry/feathery/scaly pals, we Deluminators are passionate about using our own power to counteract some of the damage.

We decided to start local, because unfortunately help is needed in our own backyard, where so many animals are neglected, abused, abandoned, and killed. (*Note, no animal-harming happens in our actual own backyards. Only happy animals live in those. But the bad stuff does happen closer than you’d think.) I’d heard of Monika’s Doggie Rescue but never knew just how much amazing work it does in our region and how many ways I as an individual could help out. So I decided to gather a couple of equally enthusiastic reps and pay the shelter a visit to discuss what we could do, and of course hang out with a bunch of dogs.

When we arrived and heard the surprisingly not-annoying sound of a few hundred barks at once, one of us had to take a moment to breathe, another took a moment to cry, and the third was yelling at everyone to get out so he could get to the puppies. We also established the joint understanding that any dog, regardless of age, was a puppy.  Our excitement levels did not decline, and we were probably very obvious first-timers. But the volunteers at the shelter were friendly and appreciative of our help, and with a well-organised system for dog walkers it was clear that the safety and comfort of the animals was priority. The excitement of being in the company of multiple dogs aside, it was genuinely enjoyable to take a stroll along the quiet roads surrounded by fields and the valleys beyond.  As the dogs investigated every shrub (and puddle) they came across, and while we all sat down for a while in the sunshine, it was clear they loved getting out and having a bit of an adventure. Even if there was nothing else we could do, contributing to the happiness of a pup was rewarding in itself.

But there WAS more we could do, so after puppy-walking we stayed back to help with laundry and discuss future projects with a head volunteer. One of the things we hadn’t thought about was the huge task that laundry presents to Monika’s, as they provide clean blankets and towels for the dogs daily. This is another task I’d recommend volunteers asking about when they visit; it’s a sizeable job that needs to be done and is made a lot easier with more people working at it. Other than that, we saw a lot of ways we could be helping at different levels – MDR is grateful for donations of things like food, treats, blankets and even sweaters in these colder months (for the little dogs, not the volunteers). As well as this, fundraising is a main way we as a larger group can really make a difference with this organisation. In addition to the constant cost of caring for as many rescued dogs as possible, they are currently working at such costly tasks as building more weather-proof shelter for the animals. Discussion started immediately for us into all the possibilities for animal-meets-magic-themed fundraising opportunities. Watch this space for those plans!

Hanging out with the pups, seeing their individual personalities and how happy they were to be with people, it was difficult to wrap our heads around the fact that without Monika’s they would be ‘death row dogs’.  And I couldn’t help thinking of how my own dog – whom I adopted through PAWS, another awesome organisation we hope to help in the future – would have been the same. The volunteers from PAWS were informed that she would have no place in a pound and would have to have been euthanized. She was perfectly healthy, sweet-natured and beautiful – but the fact that she was a large dog, primarily black (an actual trend!), and already six meant she didn’t make the cut. This information itself was a shocking insight into the situation of animal shelters and the limited resources they have.

Last year, around 60 000 dogs were euthanized in shelters in NSW alone. Upon hearing this, many blame the institution, but the fact is that pounds simply don’t have the resources to accommodate for the sheer number of animals abandoned and surrendered every day. Seeing the dogs at Monika’s, I was comforted by the knowledge that they were at least safe from that threat.  Doggie Rescue commits to the rescued dogs for the rest of their natural lives if not adopted. But as well as immense dedication by volunteers, this demands an incredible monetary cost – which is completely reliant on donations, as they receive no government funding. Help from volunteers like us is entirely necessary to help keep these animals safe, whether already at the shelter or waiting on death row in a pound.

Most people agree that they’d like to help combat this unfortunate situation, but with its immense and global scale it can be difficult to know where to begin. So we’re starting here and seeing how far we can go. Anyone reading this can help in many ways:

- Keep an eye out for future projects and fundraisers we will undertake for Doggie Rescue

- Visit the shelter yourself, walk some dogs and have a great time in the process!

- Ask around and find out how you can raise money through your school or work. Please contact us for assistance on this, and we can help you carry it out.

- Talk to people about it! Awareness is everything! Spread information about the importance of desexing pets, as well as the devastating repercussions of puppy farms and store-sold animals. Tell everyone and anyone who’ll listen to ADOPT DON’T SHOP (a hashtag you have permission to overuse!)

And of course, be creative.  Like all causes we Deluminators pursue, this can be so hugely altered by the creative work of individuals, spreading the word and enacting change that only escalates and grows. Knowing that the possibilities are endless, and that the power of good people is all the magic we need, we are excited to see what we can do for those who truly rely on us.

Contact us below, or on FB or twitter to get in on the puppy-saving action!

Love and baby animals,

The Mad Cow (or my unofficial title, Alice)

Unicorn Blood Saves Lives

Human blood may not have the magical properties of unicorn blood...but it can have the same desired effect of saving lives...albeit without the 'cursed life' part.

Three Deluminators: Liz, Sash and I went down to the Chatswood Red Cross Blood Bank to make our first ever donations today and kick off our Unicorn Blood Drive.
As an official team on the Red Cross Blood Service, any Deluminator or friend of a Deluminator can donate blood/plasma/platelets and add it to our online tally.

This way we can see the count of lives helped by Deluminator donations over time. Though only three of us went to donate today...many more are yet to donate and will be doing so in the next few months.

Congratulations to everyone who rolled up their sleeves :)

Red Cross Blood Donor Tally

Sean