Our Giving Back
Raising awareness and funds for Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation
In 2017, my wife and I experienced the hardest time of our lives when we lost our first child, Annabel. While nothing could change the outcome, we were profoundly moved by the skill, dedication, professionalism and genuine care shown by the hospital staff and the NETS team.
During our time in hospital, we saw firsthand how many families are impacted by childhood illness, and we gained a small insight into the challenges medical professionals face every day. We also came to understand just how much of the vital equipment that helped stabilise Annabel — along with the simple comforts, like books and teddies that became part of our final memories with her — had been generously donated.
We knew we wanted to give back. However, we quickly realised that making a truly meaningful financial contribution would require significant fundraising. That’s when I shared an idea with my two brothers, David and Ben, and my two best mates, Matt and Justin: to create a fishing competition to raise funds for the Sydney Children's Hospital Foundation (SCHF), which supports NETS, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick and Bear Cottage.
In November 2023, Casting For A Cause was born. What began as a small gathering of around a dozen mates raising a few thousand dollars has grown into two major annual events: our Lake Conjola round, which recently attracted 67 anglers, and our Eucumbene Dam event, which welcomed 95 competitors, including many junior anglers. Alongside our annual Bunnings sausage sizzles, we are incredibly proud to have raised $97,680 to date.
This growth has only been possible through the incredible support of local businesses and leading fishing brands who generously donate prizes and raffle items. We are also deeply grateful to every volunteer who gives their time to help bring these events to life. No one involved receives payment for their efforts — 100% of funds raised after costs goes directly to the SCHF.
With our next event returning to Eucumbene Dam this October, our goal remains simple: to raise as much as possible for the foundation while creating a positive and memorable experience for everyone involved. We are passionate about supporting families and encouraging junior participation, because there is nothing better than seeing families enjoying time together on the water and sharing the excitement of a junior angler catching their very first fish.
Andrew Lazzaro - Director
“I first met Andrew from Oakwood when he came to my house to quote a job in 2023 (they did a great job by the way), he mentioned that he and a couple of guys were organising a fishing competition to raise money for the children’s hospital, I asked him to send me the details as raising money for sick kids sounded like a great excuse to get out for a fish. Since then, the Casting for a Cause events, both at Lake Conjola and Lake Eucumbene have become much look forward to events in the calendar. Also running a local business has given us the opportunity to support and sponsor the events over the last couple of years and see a little bit more of the absolutely phenomenal work that Andrew, Justin and Dave put in, not only to put on such great events but to do it all with the aim to raise money for such a wonderful cause. Looking forward to many years to come.”
