We wanted to take a moment to say a very heartfelt thank you for the incredible support you have given Montana Atkinson over the years through the Variety Heart Scholarship.
When we look back at Montana’s journey in Para swimming, we can honestly say that Variety has been such an important part of helping her become the athlete and young woman she is today.
The support of the Variety Heart Scholarship has helped Montana with so many aspects of her sporting journey, including travel and competition costs, training, coaching, equipment and uniforms. More than simply providing financial assistance, your generosity has given Montana the opportunity to chase her dreams — to believe that perhaps the goals she once only imagined really could become a reality.
There have been many sacrifices, challenges and long hours along the way. Para swimming is a journey that requires commitment, resilience and determination, and Montana has worked incredibly hard to get where she is today. Having the support of Variety behind her has helped make those opportunities possible and has allowed her to focus on her swimming, continue developing as an athlete and compete at higher levels. And now, we have reached a moment that we could only have dreamed about when this journey began.
This Saturday, Montana flies out to Walnut, California, USA, to compete at the Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships. She will be competing as a Para Dolphin #P337 and, for the very first time, representing her country — Australia.
As her family, it is incredibly difficult to put into words what this moment means to us. To see the little girl who started out with sporting dreams now preparing to stand on the world stage wearing the green and gold is something we are immensely proud of. And we know that Variety has been part of that journey.
We truly believe that without the opportunities and support provided through the Variety Heart Scholarship, Montana may not have had the same pathway to pursue her dreams. Your generosity has helped remove some of the barriers that can make elite sport particularly challenging and has allowed Montana to keep reaching, keep believing and keep pushing towards her goals. The scholarship has been about so much more than swimming. It has helped shape Montana into the person she is today — someone who has learned the value of hard work, perseverance, resilience and believing in herself. It has taught her that dreams are worth chasing, even when the road is difficult.
For our family, knowing that Variety believed in Montana and invested in her potential has meant more than we can ever adequately express.
As she boards that plane on Saturday, we will be incredibly proud to know that she is not only taking her own dreams with her, but also carrying with her the support and belief of so many people who have helped her along the way.
Thank you, Variety Queensland, for believing in Montana. Thank you for supporting her dreams. Thank you for helping create opportunities that may otherwise not have been possible. And thank you for being part of her journey to becoming a Para Dolphin and representing Australia on the world stage.
We are incredibly grateful for everything Variety has done for Montana and for our family over the years. We hope you can share in our excitement and pride as Montana takes this very special next step in her journey.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for helping Montana dream big — and, more importantly, helping her turn those dreams into reality.
With our deepest gratitude, Montana Atkinson & Family
Every Child Deserves to Thrive
Change Takes All Of Us
Every child deserves the chance to explore, grow, and dream without limits. Their potential shouldn’t be defined by disability, illness, or financial hardship. We work to remove those barriers and open the doors to new possibilities.
