Bosto 2025

I'm raising funds for people with dementia!

The Bosto 2024 Campaign

By Tony Gevaux

The Gevaux Murata Lau Bosto Group set a purpose to reach $50,000.00 in overall fundraising for the Dementia Australia Research Foundation in 2024. 

The Bosto 2024 Campaign was in honour of my mother, Billie Gevaux, who had lost her brave battle with Alzheimer's Disease.

A record fundraising year of $16,707.00 was required to achieve the $50,000.00 overall mark, which was quite a big ask for a small team who were carrying heavy hearts, dealing with life obstacles and had the added hurdle of a cost of living crisis that slowed donations as people tightened their belts; but our personal motivation and drive to honour Billie Gevaux was foremost in our minds and we just had to find a way.

Where there's a will there's a way, we just had to navigate through a thick maze.

The campaign went right down to the wire and 365 days later, on the 31 December 2024 our small team set a fundraising year record of $17,207.00, surpassing our previous best by over $5,200.00, for an overall fundraising total of $50,501.00 for this extremely important cause.

In what had been a devastating year we had found a way through never, never, never giving up and honoured Billie Gevaux reaching our purpose of $50,000.00 in overall fundraising which we achieved in only four years.

An overall view of the Bosto 2024 Campaign:

This campaign was an extremely difficult journey and the road travelled was not easy. 

The Bosto 2024 team's motivation was very personal as we strived to honour the legacy of Billie Gevaux through supporting this extremely important cause. 

The Bosto 2024 team's motivation and drive was high but the cost of living crisis and other factors were definitely an obstacle throughout the whole campaign.

We were constantly reminded that suffering is part of life and we certainly learnt about acceptance due to the enormous adversity and hurdles we faced throughout a very difficult 2024.

What kept us grounded was our strong belief and philosophy that your purpose should define you, "Do what you say and say what you do", is one of our mottos in life.

The Bosto 2024 Campaign used the word purpose in preference to the word goal, as we believe the word purpose is more powerful than the word goal.

That's our belief and we will never apologise for being true to our word.

At times everything appeared to be going wrong with this campaign, a number of people who initially supported our cause did not honour their word leaving the Bosto 2024 campaign in tatters. 

There seemed to be people that talked the talk but did not walk the walk, which was disappointing but such is life, we had no choice but to keep going or fail.

The Bosto 2024 Campaign Team choose to pick up the pieces of what at times appeared a fractured campaign and Bosto was the key to our success going forward.

It was important for us to continue the good work, learnings and teachings of Billie Gevaux, whose ethos was to give back to society the best you can, regardless of the obstacles one faced.

The Obstacle is the Way was a learning we held on to during this whole campaign, and at times we had to step back and be kind to ourselvess, as were going around in circles, but we took a punt to back ourselves and with Bosto front and centre, leading the way, opportunities started to present. 

It's not in our DNA to give up and having that inner strength kept us stoic.

You can wallow in negativity but our attitude to life is to keep going and that's exactly what Bosto, Karen Murata Lau and I did. We kept going.

As mentioned, at times the task seemed insurmountable, especially as the year rolled on, but we stuck fat to our belief and kept chipping away at our target and the motivation increased as the progressive tally kept edging closer to the $50k mark.

The motivation and drive was to honour Billie Gevaux and during October Bosto led the way, from small things big things grow, we raised $7,000 in a few days.

The tide was turning, there was still hope.

We stood by Billie's side throughout Billie's battle with Alzheimer's Disease, we were true to our word and our character stood the test of time whilst others failed in their duty of care which is their cross to bare.

Selfless is always a better option than selfish. 

Bosto was clearly the main attraction in seeking donations. Bosto, the star of this campaign had  appeared on TV and in other forums but more importantly Bosto gave unconditional love to Billie Gevaux during her time of suffering. Bosto would always put a smile on Billie's face. 

As the 2024 year was drawing to an end Bosto had given everything to the campaign and could do no more.

Unfortunately it seemed we would not achieve our purpose, meaning we would fall short of the target and fail, but what happened next was a divine intervention and restored our faith in humanity.

As the 2024 year was drawing to a close, time was running out, we had to find a way, so we rallied the troops and the good people, true believers in the cause stood up in a time of adversity, demonstrated their generosity and supported this important campaign taking us beyond our purpose of $50,000.00.

It's important to note the contribution of the following people who stood up when it really mattered. 

We acknowledge the following humans with sincere, heartfelt gratitude: Karam Singh, Ron Cahill, Mary Cahill, Tami Murata, Loretta Hero, Mel Buckmaster, Andy Maries, Britt Halligan, Kimi Murata, Cass Partington, Brother Jeff Regan and Lexi Williams (USA) without your support there is no doubt we would have failed.

The team, Bosto and Karen Murata Lau, your unconditional love and care to Billie Gevaux, and relentless support throughout this campaign, enabled us to reach our purpose. 

Those attributes define your character, without your contribution this purpose would not have been achieved. 

There is no greater gift in life than giving back to society the best you can.

Good people do good things and throughout this campaign you were selfless not selfish. 

What was achieved was a test of character, a test of wills and one of the lessons learnt was to never, never, never give up because when you do that in life you take luck out of the equation and good things happen.

It went right down to the wire but we did it our way.

Throughout this journey we received a lot of motivation and drive from AFL Premiership Coach David Parkin, AFL Premership Player Dermott Brereton and former World Boxing Champion Barry Michael.

The learnings provided from the Australian sporting greats kept us grounded and focused on reaching our purpose of  $50,000.00 in fundraising for Dementia Australia.

We are extremely grateful for their time and guidedance throughout this arduous campaign.

We acknowledge the contribution of Billie Gevaux, your immortal

words instilled in us to never, never, never give up was inspirational throughout the Bosto 2024 campaign.

Thank you Billie Gevaux. 

Your legacy will live on.

In conclusion, one of the greatest learnings from the Bosto 2024 Campaign was identifying the strongest factor in the human personality is the need to be consistent with how one defines themselves.

A trait that Bosto has possessed not only in this campaign but throughout his canine journey.

Do what you say, say what you do and in Bosto's case a bark will do.

We thank Dementia Australia for their support and providing a platform to contribute to such a great cause which provides people with hope and sometimes hope is all you have.

Dementia Australia will formally acknowledge Bosto and the Bosto 2024 Campaign Team with a small presentation early this year.

Unfortunately there will be a vacant chair where Billie Gevaux would have been sitting.

The vacant chair is symbolic as it will tell the story of giving back to society the best you can.

Billie Gevaux, your legacy will live on.

About Us:

The Bosto 2024 fundraising purpose is to honour the legacy of Billie Gevaux, a wonderful, caring and beautiful person who battled Alzheimer's Disease for nine years.

Billie instilled in us the importance of never, never, never giving up and giving back to society the best you can.

Mum, you will always be remembered as a person that made a difference and that is a wonderful attribute.

Bosto and I witnessed your brave battle and were with you right to the end. We can only hope we provided you with some comfort in your final hours.

Our hearts are broken without you in our world, we will carry on your good work of giving back to society the best you can.

Thank you for being you.

You were simply the best.

Bosto and I miss you more than words can express.

❤️