"Kung Fu Pandas"

Fundraising starts with fun and is the best approach to competing in this year’s Variety Bashes.

These annual motoring events aim to raise money for Variety, a children’s charity dedicated to transforming the lives of sick, disadvantaged and special needs children.

As part of the 2008 South Australian Variety Bash, the Kung Fu Pandas created pandemonium on the streets of Adelaide. First time ‘basher’ Wayne Irvine of Westside Group of Companies, and team mates Alan Robson and David Snoad dressed as pandas and entertained crowds.

“The bash is not a race or a rally, it’s a fun event to raise money for Variety and to highlight the fantastic work they do,” Wayne said.

The teams had to get involved and be noticed during the 3,000-kilometre journey from Mawson Lakes to Norwood. This attitude saw the Kung Fu Pandas awarded outright winners of the bash.

“We (car 76) had a lot of fun, stayed up late – and got up early – and raised over $22,100 with thanks to supporters like Fantech,” he said.

The SA Variety Bash raised $2.107 million.

Meanwhile, the Razza team consisting of Waterman AHW Director Michael Parker and colleagues Peter Klease and Simon Heath, were trying to stay out of trouble in their 1963 EJ Holden (car 66) in the Victorian Variety Bash.

This year 90 outrageously themed cars travelled 3500km from Melbourne to Yeppoon on Queensland’s central coast in just over a week.

Two Californian Highway patrol cars kept the teams in line, stopping team cars and handing out fines to anybody that took the bash too seriously.

“We were stopped a few times and our car turned over, but it’s all in good fun and for a good cause,” Michael said.

“Fantech was a major sponsor of our car which raised just over $16,000, and collectively the Victorian bash raised $1.34 million for the Variety Club of Victoria.”