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Our favourite idols reunite to help families of the floods

Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Our favourite idols reunite to help families of the floods
I think it has been astonishing to see how the crisis has disappeared from the public consciousness,” Cosima says.
The Queensland flood disaster that unfolded 12 months ago stunned the nation. Thirty five people died, thousands were made homeless and the economic fallout runs into the billions.

Now former idol contestants have rallied together to urge Australians to remember the disaster and dig deep to help those still struggling to rebuild their lives.

More than seventy of the talented singers have signed up to a Facebook group committed to aiding the recovery effort. They hope to reunite and perform a televised Idol reunion to raise money for the flood victims.

“It seems like people have begun to forget,” says former Scarlett Belle pop star Reigan Derry, 23. “I think it is important to think of the Queensland floods in relation to the Victorian bushfires, the clean-up and the reconstruction process is very slow. The trauma lingers long after the media turns away.”

Andrew “Stretch” Madden, 36, and Cosima De Vito, 34, have pledged their full support to the cause.

“I think it has been astonishing to see how the crisis has disappeared from the public consciousness,” Cosima says. “I reckon an Idol Reunion or relief concert would be a great way to direct public attention back to Queensland.”

For Emily Williams, 27, Mark Da Costa, 33 and Paulini Curuenavuli, 29, the floods hit close to home. The Idol favourites have family in Queensland, but luckily they all escaped unharmed.

“Most of my family live up there,” explains Emily. “Although their houses were under water, they were pretty lucky and survived.”

Paulini got a firsthand account of the devastation from her aunties who live in the region. “I tried to put myself in their position, and I’d be devastated. It reminds us how lucky we are.”

Other former Idols Lee Harding, 28 and Luke Dickens, 29, want to use their Idol status to ensure that now a year on, the flood victims aren’t forgotten.

“One of the bonuses of being in the music industry is the ability to get involved in charity events that can really make a difference,” smiles Luke.

“Everyone got to a certain point in the show because of the fans and if some want to raise funds for a worthy cause and see their favourite Idol on TV, I think that is great!”


To support the Idols, join the Facebook group: Australian Idol Telethon ... Can Idol make it Happen?


Related video: Grantham continues struggle, twelve months on.

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User comments
Dan England told me that last year's floods were so crazy he was flooded in for over 3 days and water came in his house downstairs, insurance didn't cover the damage either. Apparently Dan's booking agent (Pushworth) was in Brisbane city and ended up having to sleep at the office cause the water came up so fast.
I think this is an excellent idea, it helps out the now nearly forgotten vitctims of the floods, who are still trying to recover, and showcases some of the massively talented people who where unfortunately not the winner in the years that they appeared. Any TV station would be foolish to pass up a ratings opertunity like this, I only hope that a freeview one grabs it before a pay TV does as I would love to see it, Iand I dont have paytv
i think an australian idol flood relief concert would be an amazing event to get much needed donations to help those still effected from last years horrific floods, if the networks can find slots to play re-runs of sitcoms that we have all seen a million times i'm sure one of them could pick up this important community event. well done idols, pat and womans day for getting on board to promote this.
Thankyou for showing us the gorgeous photo in last week's edition of Woman's Da. This is a fantastic idea of Pop's and many others who are supporting the facebook group. Please help make this concert a reality to benefit the many people affected by the 2011 floods. Kate xxx
I just want to thank Womans day and all involved for picking up this story. Please can we have a Idol reunion to help raise funds for all affected by the Dreadful floods.
A big thank you to my good friend Pat Milmlow aka Popeye (Pops). You care so much about people and getting the idol crew together for a performance is a fantastic idea. Also many many thanks should go to Popeye's dear friend Marc Da-Costa, who i'm sure had a hand at getting this reunion together. Pops is really one and truly they Best woman by far!!!!! Is it too late to get her onto the The Australia Day 2012 Honours List???
Pat Milmlow (Popeye) didn't organise this because she cares about the QLD floods or its victims. She couldn't care less. Shes doing it to help former idol contestants. Shes been hassling everyone on facebook to support an idol reunion and went fishing for ideas to draw in the crowds by using a tragedy. Before the floods she was trying to organise a reuinion and was trying to get people on facebook to pay for it. Shame on Popeye.
This is such a fantastic cause and as said by Pat all of these talented performers still have many thousands of fans and that would add to the interest for the Concert, there are still many people left homeless with no insurance to help so anything that will help these people would be great. So thank you Woman's Day for doing this article in the hopes that channel nine or any other station will pick this up and run with it.!
This is a wonderful idea! I would love to see the Idols reunite, so many very talented performers together for such a great cause is pure genius. Thanks Woman's Day for running this story ... let's hope one of the tv stations gets behind this.
Thankyou Woman's Day, for all your support by doing the story. The cause needs help to achieve it happening & what a great way to raise money for the flood victims. Just need a channel to put their hand up to take it on. We have to help our Aussie families, still in need of help. The tv channels have televised Telethons raising money for different causes in the past, so I reckon it is time to do it again but with Idols. Aussie Aussie Aussie, get behind the cause. x

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