Dunlea Centre Australia's Original Boys' Town Media Releases
BOYS' TOWN STALWART HONOURED JUN 2011 - Father Frank Bertagnolli Order of Australia
EDUCATION REVIEW ARTICLE NOV 2010 - "Mastering the future"
LOTTERIES CONTINUE TO CONFUSE
Dunlea Centre, Australia 's original Boys' Town at Engadine once again has to dispel confusing information regarding Boystown Lotteries. Many people think the lotteries support Boys' Town but not one cent actually helps this Salesian work which assists needy boys and families from Sydney and Wollongong.
"The lotteries are run by a well organized Queensland group" according to Boys' Town Director, Jim Doyle. "They have no connection with us at all, but local people think they are supporting us by buying a ticket" he added.
Sutherland Shire residents seem to be the target of a current marketing campaign by the lotteries. The sophisticated and expensive lottery marketing campaign offers luxury prizes of homes and cars to the winner and advertises that it supports charitable works.
Most of the ticket price goes towards prizes and publicity according to Doyle. " On one hand I'd estimate about 70 cents in the dollar goes to marketing, publicity, prizes and the like with about 30 cents available for charitable works, and some of that goes to administration" he said. "On the other hand every dollar donated to us is targeted directly into services"
Boys' Town, Engadine currently runs residential Family Preservation and Restoration programs for those 'at risk ', holiday programs for boys and girls from the Sutherland Shire and a day program for children with mental health issues. "We are still operating with the original vision of Boys' Town in mind, that is focusing our attention on the needs of children, especially troubled children" Mr. Doyle emphasized. "We rely on financial support from the community and it is annoying when well resourced groups mislead our local supporters. We do not spend much on publicity, preferring to concentrate on doing our targeted work well without a large marketing department" he concluded.
Confusion also disturbs the famous Nebraska Boys' Town in the USA , the inspiration of the 1930's movies with Spencer Tracey and Mickey Rooney. Its website informs readers that "each of our locations across America is part of the original Boys' Town, but there are look-alikes. So look for the Two Brothers statue on the envelopes and stationary. If you see the 'he ain't heavy' Two Brothers, you know it's the original, genuine Boys Town ". The "he ain't heavy" reference is to the words of a young lad that inspired the foundation of Boys' Town, later becoming a hit song by the Hollies and has always been the symbol of the real Boys' Town.
Boys' Town Engadine cannot offer rich prizes other than the prize to donors of knowing a genuine donation has been directed at changing a child's life for the better.