Caltex's major welfare support sponsorship is with the Starlight Children's Foundation of Australia.

About Starlight Children's Foundation

Starlight's mission is to brighten the lives of seriously ill and hospitalised children and their families throughout Australia. Starlight's programs are designed to give back some of the laughter and happiness that a serious illness takes away. Their hospital programs include Starlight Express Rooms featuring the wonderful Captain Starlight, Starlight Fun Centres and Starlight Express Vans. All aim to bring smiles to the faces of hospitalised children using fun and entertainment as a positive distraction to pain and boredom.

Out of hospital, Starlight kids and their families can relax and enjoy family outings provided by Starlight Escapes, or share a once-in-a-lifetime experience through the Starlight Wishgranting program.

How does Caltex help Starlight?

Caltex provides support in several ways. The company itself makes an annual donation of more than $215,000 and provides support for employee fundraising activities.

Caltex also ensures the four Starlight Express Vans which take the magic of Captain Starlight to hospitalised children in remote, regional and outer metropolitan hospitals are filled with the best possible quality fuel by donating $10,000 worth of petrol each year. In 2006-7, the "50 towns in 50 weeks" campaign has Caltex as the major sponsor.

However, the biggest contribution comes from Caltex employees including the Managing Director, members of the Caltex Leadership Team and hundreds of Caltex employees at locations all over the country who devote time and personal effort towards Starlight fundraising events. Along with activities by franchisees and resellers, they create many opportunities for local communities to help Starlight.

Why Caltex supports Starlight?

The partnership benefits both Caltex and Starlight.

The sponsorship gives Caltex employees the experience of working together to benefit our community and the opportunity to work with colleagues from different departments and locations. Being involved in Starlight fundraising also gives employees opportunities for personal development and getting involved in activities like selling on Star Day is great for humility.

All these benefits support Caltex's vision to be the Australian oil refining and marketing company most admired for its people, partnership and performance.

Caltex's support for Starlight is a very successful partnership and one that is growing and gathering in strength all the time.

What does Starlight get out of the partnership?

For Starlight, Caltex provides more than financial assistance. We help Starlight promote awareness of their programs via our extensive networks and through advertising support. In 2004 the Brand team produced the first Caltex Star Day TV commercial which ended up creating an unprecedented demand for yellow Starlight stress stars! Then there was the striking Star Day design Russell Ingall's car sported at Round 3 of the V8s in New Zealand in 2005.

Caltex helps Starlight increase its volunteer numbers Australia wide – last year a record number of Caltex employees and family members volunteered on Star Day and we hope to increase numbers again this year.

Caltex also introduces Starlight to its corporate networks, including third party businesses in communities where we operate.

Events

Star Day is just one highlight of a year round program of support for Starlight by Caltex employees, resellers and franchisees across Australia. Star Day 2006 took place on Friday 5 May. Like the previous year, Caltex employees, franchisees and resellers banded together to sell merchandise, organise barbeques, wash windscreens and more to raise a lot of money for Starlight's programs. In 2007, it will be held on Friday 4 May.

The biggest initiative ever undertaken by Caltex and Starlight is "50 towns in 50 weeks" which started on Star Day 2006 to help celebrate Caltex's 50 years of refining fuel for Australia. The purple and yellow van, a gift to Starlight from Caltex, will travel 22,000 kilometres visiting 106 hospitals and enable Captain Starlight to bring loads of fun and laughter to children around the country.

Caltex is living up to its brand value, we put more in, by doing more than simply providing and fuelling the van. Our nationwide network of retail sites, resellers and business partners are providing on-the-ground support to help make the journey a success. Join the daily fun of the Starlight van journey at www.50towns50weeks.org.au.

Fundraising stories

There have been some very imaginative fundraisers organised by Caltex people during Star Day appeals:

	677 service stations raised over $120,000 during the Star Day 2004 selling period and reseller groups, including Access Energy, Access Fuels and Metropolitan Fuel Distributors, raised close to $20,000. At the national distributor conference a $30 StarCash card was auctioned for an astounding $3,000.
	One of Russell Ingall's helmets was auctioned online on the Caltex website during the Star Day period in 2005 and was sold for a staggering $8,000 to a fan in Western Australia.
	The Lubes team run a special Star Day promotion, selling Havoline Premium engine oil in special edition yellow packs to raise money for Starlight. For each bottle sold, $1 is donated to Starlight. $12,000 was raised in 2005.
	In 2005, employees in Melbourne who had undergone a health check and found that they were overweight decided to do a sponsored weight loss program – Kilos for Kids. It raised more than $5,000.

Wish granting for sick children

Caltex was approached by Starlight to see if we could assist with the wish for a 12 year old boy in Newcastle who wanted to speak to Peter Brock. The request came in a couple of days before the Bathurst races but as there was an urgency due to the boy's condition deteriorating Caltex arranged for the boy and Peter to talk on the phone only a couple of hours after the request came through.

In April 2005 Russell Ingall visited a Starlight Express Room and spent the day with the children. Later that same day Russell and one of the children went to re-sticker one of his cars.

A couple of years ago a 17 year old boy with a brain tumour wanted to go to the Bathurst races. He spent the day there and his highlight was doing the race circuit in a car with the bikini girls!

For further information please click here, for the Starlight website.