For the eighth year in a row, Mettle is gearing up for an even bigger and brighter Loud Shirt Day.
“Loud Shirt Day is always a special day here at Mettle,” said Sarah Murray, Business and Submissions Manager, Mettle.
Mettle has been a long-standing supporter of Hear and Say and Loud Shirt Day, raising vital funds and awareness for children with hearing loss. It is a cause close to the heart of Manager Director, Marc Kenney. He and his wife Tash have two children, Amelie and Xavier, who were both born deaf and went through the Hear and Say program.
Last year, the Mettle team rallied their staff, clients, subcontractors, family, and friends to get involved and raised over $64,000. They hosted a ‘Loud Shirt Day Summer Soiree’ event featuring a paw-fect pet competition and community-sponsored prizes.
“We love a theme here at Mettle! Of course, clients, subcontractors, family, and friends will all be involved this year but as for our theme…you will have to wait and see,” said Sarah.
While the Mettle team is tight-lipped about this year’s theme, if the past is anything to go by, it will no doubt be loud. Their Loud Shirt Day fundraising events have included loudest shirt competitions, a ping pong championship, creating Queensland’s largest Loud Shirt (five metres by four metres, to be exact) and a giant lei.
Marc reflected on the importance of Loud Shirt Day, and how inspiring it is to see everyone come together year after year.
“It’s pretty simple for me, my children inspire me to keep this going. It’s also knowing that the funds we raise help other families in the same situation we were in close to nine years ago when my daughter Amelie was born,” said Marc.
“It’s quite humbling and heart-warming at the same time to see our team get behind us each year. It’s a true blessing,” he said.
Marc’s children, nine-year-old Amelie and seven-year-old Xavier, who love gymnastics, sports, and hanging out with the other kids on their street, were both diagnosed with hearing loss at birth.
“It was heart shattering, hard to hear, hard to listen to, and hard to accept,” said Marc.
“I’d heard about Hear and Say when I was working for Thiess and did some fundraising for them back in 1996 – it’s weird how things come around,” he said.
Amelie and Xavier both received cochlear implants before they were one year old.
“When our children were switched on, it was a truly ‘let there be light’ moment” said Marc.
“Having access to Hear and Say helped us navigate those waters. Amelie and Xavier both came to Hear and Say for regular listening and spoken language therapy and Group Social Skills programs,” he said.
“Our outcomes are very different to what they could have been. We have two smart, healthy and genuinely joyful children who go to their local school and are nailing it,” he said.
“We are very blessed to have Hear and Say contribute to this outcome for the Kenney family.”
When asked what they would say to other businesses thinking of getting involved in Loud Shirt Day, it was a resounding “Do it!”
“It’s the most rewarding event you will participate in. Watching your teams fundraising page get bigger and bigger and knowing you are making a difference to the lives of children and families impacted by hearing loss, it’s almost addictive!”
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