http://www.kotaku.com.au/2009/10/valve-ponies-up-cash-for-oz-visit-childs-play-gets-paid/
And so he bloody well should. Good thing the donations end up going to charity, wonder if its tax deductible...

Newell paying for his own flight
Got any firm proof on that? The news article on Steam still reads as if that modder is paying for the flight.
I quote: This year, the community is putting me on a plane to the other side of the world to meet Joe W-A and see his MOD. It's going to be a fun trip

[url=]http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/60700[/url] SHABAM!
And then it was posted.... so it shall be done....

As indicated on this Blue's News post and within the Fly Gabe Newell blog itself (in this post, the Valve team is flying themselves, and proceeds will be donated to Child's Play.
Note that the first two pages of Lacabra's blog are actually the same on every page - the post itself appears after the words "Some people seem to have ... they're awesome dudes"