Media Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The King of the Jungle swinging from new heights for WA charity, Cahoots!

True Aussie hero Luke Toki ended his year taking to the ropes for WA charity Cahoots, raising funds to help change the lives of young people facing exceptional challenges or living with a disability.

Local Perth boy, Luke moved the nation and won our hearts with his inspirational journey and passion for helping his family, showcased in the 2019 season of Australian Survivor. Luke shares Cahoots values of inclusion, especially for helping children living with disability to live their best lives, as he is the father of three gorgeous kids who all face exceptional challenges. Luke’s passion and determination to give back to the community found him taking on new heights and challenging himself in a different way by abseiling 52 floors (220m) down the Central Park building, despite being scared of heights!

Luke’s comments after his thrilling his Plunge experience:

“We would like to say thank you to the Cahoots family for their ongoing support to the community. I was able to see firsthand at the plunge the positive impact the charity has and most importantly they you make everyone feel. It takes a lot of good people to make such an event like this and I feel it will something I talk about for years to come.”

“Anytime I can find time for charities like Cahoots, its always my pleasure. They do amazing things”

“All the volunteers, I have a lot of respect for and to see such good turn out, so super happy and that I survived hahaha.”

“The professionalism of the guys upstairs were amazing they kept thanking everyone for their donations. They know that we are going out of our comfort zones for charity and so they made it as easy as possible for us. I’m still shaking but I’ve done it and I’m on the ground now.”

How can the public get involved with Cahoots: Any support you can give, will make a big difference to a young person’s future and quality of life. Many WA families are struggling and without your support would miss essential opportunities for their children to connect, learn and celebrate with Cahoots. To make a donation head to https://www.cahoots.org.au/donate/

Release Content:

Australian Survivor contestant (2019), and father of three children who all face exceptional challenges, Luke Toki has joined the community, business leaders and advocates, putting his fears aside to abseil 52 floors (220m) down the Central Park building on St Georges Terrace, Perth CBD, for WA charity, Cahoots.

Local Perth boy, Luke moved the nation and won our hearts with his inspirational journey and passion for helping his family. He continues to pay it forward by helping Australian charities and advocating for children and young people that face exceptional challenges – he is a true Australian hero!

Toki and his wife Mary have three children; Lennox who has autism, Nate who is on the autism spectrum with a global development delay and Madeline was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis just three weeks after she was born. Luke and Mary have been advocating for families affected by autism as they understand the challenges the families face.

Luke’s passion and determination to give back to the community found him taking on new heights and challenging himself in a different way, despite being scared of heights. He faced an exceptional challenge to raise funds for kids who face exceptional challenges every day and who may not have the support to access essential services.

Central Park Plunge is organised by Zenith Events, and is the largest urban city abseil to raise funds for nine Perth Charities, Cahoots being one of them.

Luke shared the ropes with Cahoots CEO, Jess Karlsson, who abseiled for her fifth year in a row. Together with 34 other compassionate Cahoots plungers they collectively raised more than $83,000 to help Cahoots children who otherwise may not have this life changing growth experience.

“Cahoots is a West Australian charity giving young people facing exceptional challenges or living with a disability, the chance to live their best life. As a fast growing organisation we provide inclusive opportunities through a range of social, cultural and recreational activities, camps, and programs, which build confidence, connections and valuable life skills. This makes a life changing difference to our young people, and their family’s quality of life. Without the generous support of people like Luke and the West Australian community, we cannot continue to grow and provide more of these essential services which support many people and families that need it most. Any support you can give, will make a big difference to a young person’s future and quality of life.” Jess Karlsson said.

Dean is among one of the children who will be benefiting from the funds raised through the Central Park Plunge, and the generosity of the WA community. Dean is an intelligent, warm and caring 13-year-old boy, on the autism spectrum. He is continuously battling with making and keeping friends and finding those who think like him and accept him, which is very difficult. This means his social life has been very hard and at times, extremely lonely. “This funding would create an experience for Dean that would be so special to him and to us and that would open up an entirely new world to him. One in which he can socialise, maybe make a new friend, be active and have some fun in a safe, supported environment.” Said Lana, Deans Mum. Lana is so grateful for this support, and tearfully says “thank you to all the people taking the plunge, and the supporters, without you Dean would miss out on these opportunities”.

Without the support of people like Luke, and the WA community, young people facing exceptional challenges would not have the opportunity to feel supported, build valuable life skills, connection and confidence, which greatly enhances their quality, choices and opportunities in life.

Comments: CEO Jess Karlsson:

"The Central Park Plunge is a confronting and life changing experience. It is a great way to step out of your comfort zone in a safe, fun environment and build empathy for people who go through more confronting challenges every day”

Photo credits to: Michael Goh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-goh-0902364b/?originalSubdomain=au

Mary Toki: @marytoki84 @ marylouiseimages

For more information please contact: Cahoots: Kaylee Nicholas Marketing and Partnerships Manager 0420 843 005 [email protected] Interviews can be arranged.