Catalina Club Launches “Make A Wish” Christmas Campaign

This campaign aligns with Southern Women’s Group’s annual involvement in the UN’s “16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence” campaign and aims to provide immediate assistance during what is often the most challenging time of year for vulnerable families.

Why This Matters

Domestic and family violence remains a critical issue in our region, and the holiday season often intensifies these challenges.

Samantha Monck, Assistant Manager at Southern Women’s Group, says it’s sadly a time of year of increased cases.

“We see a significant increase, on average around 30 per cent in referrals during the Christmas period,” she says. 

“This is a particularly difficult time for many families, as the added emotional and financial pressure often intensifies existing challenges.

“The lack of viable housing options becomes even more critical during this time, especially as our beautiful South Coast becomes a popular holiday destination. The tourism surge limits the availability of emergency and short-term accommodation, leaving many women and children facing homelessness.”

Beyond housing, families often struggle to access basic essentials such as food, clothing and hygiene products. 

“The financial burden of the holiday season also weighs heavily on mothers in particular, many of whom reach out seeking support to provide gifts for their children, simply wanting to offer a sense of normalcy and joy during a time that should feel safe and celebratory,” Samantha says.

How the Campaign Works

Members donate their accrued membership reward points at Reception.

• Swipe their membership card to check their points balance. (As of early November, members collectively held over 8 million points, worth approximately $80,000.)
• Choose how many points to donate.
• Receive a Wish Tag for every donation, write your hopes for Christmas and place it in the Wish Box.

Each week until 31 December, Catalina Club will collect the tags and hang them on the Wish Tree on the 9th hole of the golf course - a beautiful symbol of community spirit, visible from the Club’s sun terrace and illuminated each night.

Funds will be converted to cash and provided to Southern Women’s Group in weekly tranches to ensure families receive vital support before Christmas.

When donations are made to Make A Wish, they are directly supporting local families in crisis through Southern Women’s Group. For more than 40 years, Southern Women’s Group has been providing essential services to those affected by domestic and family violence. The group empowers women, protects children and addresses domestic violence in all its forms. Their mission is to provide both immediate support for those in crisis and long-term solutions to help individuals rebuild their lives.

“This Christmas, we want to give members and visitors to Catalina Club an opportunity to support families and individuals experiencing domestic violence,” Guy Chapman, General Manager at Catalina Club, says.

“Sadly, domestic and family violence can happen anywhere, and families living just down the road from our own homes may be in crisis.

“One of the best aspects of our initiative is that anyone can be involved and share their wishes for Christmas. Every person who donates will receive a wish tag to write their wishes for themselves, the future, their community, family or friends. Every wish tag will be hung on the wish tree on the 9th hole of the golf course for all members to see.”

Megan McClelland, Community & Marketing Assistant at Catalina Club says it’s a great way for members to use their points.

“All Catalina Club members accrue Rewards points throughout the year every time they make purchases throughout the Club,” she says. 

“Typically, the only way members can use their Rewards points is by applying them to future purchases in the Club. Our Make A Wish initiative allows members to donate any unused points and support families in crisis.

“Every Reward point donated will be converted to cash and provided to Southern Women’s Group, a South Coast organisation that has provided essential services to those affected by domestic and family violence for more than 40 years.”