The most spectacular sight I've ever seen was in 2019.
After working as a property marketer in the HQ of a global property company, I took on a secondment to Mackay to support the regional shopping centre team and grow my career.
On 15 October, I found myself on the first floor of the centre. Watching hundreds of people stretch into downward dogs, as we broke the record for the largest yoga gathering in an Australian retail centre and raised funds for a local mental health charity.
I didn't know it then, but something stirred inside of me.
Fast forward to 2020, like many others in the pandemic, I started wondering about what meaningful work looks like for me.
I kept circling back to that moment on the first floor, watching the whole community show up for a good cause. And the excitement and sense of fulfilment I felt, knowing the small part I played in making it happen.
These feelings took me to apply for a job at Starlight and joining the Community Fundraising Team.
It didn't take me long to realise I was exactly where I needed to be.
Like when I first read the story of Jack, an 8-year-old boy who took part in Super Swim in a dam on his farm. How he said he felt he was so lucky to have the life he had and wanted to do what he could to help others who might not be as lucky.
When I had the great opportunity of looking after the cutest Spookalier puppy for a Starlight Wish child, and seeing how much care was put into the whole experience.
And when there's never a dull day at work - whether it's dressing up as Starry, our famous trivia quizzes and the ability to be who you are, however quirky... I knew I was exactly where I need to be.
Having started at Starlight as the Digital Marketing Specialist, I was thrilled to step into the Campaigns Manager role.
This sees me continue to work as part of the Community team to drive sustainable income growth through our innovative campaigns, like Super Swim, Tour de Kids and GameChangers.
I will also lead a small team to navigate our campaign delivery and successful fundraiser acquisition, activation and engagement strategies - an incredible opportunity that I am very appreciative to Starlight for.
This also wouldn’t be possible without the fantastic learning and development opportunities I've been given at Starlight. I developed a lot of my skills on the job by taking on new projects to grow my campaign management and leadership capabilities, such as taking a lead role in managing our livestreaming fundraising campaigns. I further sharpened my toolkit through mentoring sessions with my manager, as well as internal workshops and my MBA studies.
The thing I remembered the most from my Starlight interview back in 2020 was being told, "We want to make sure you are happy at work."
If you're considering joining Starlight, I'd like to say this: if you hear this in your interview, it's wholeheartedly true. I hope you, like me, will discover the joy of working with amazing, talented people, on a meaningful cause, and knowing for certain you are exactly where you need to be.