Page 1623 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 8 May 2018
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The amount raised at the annual fundraising ball was a symbol of the generous nature of not just the people in Canberra but all throughout the region because there were people from down the coast, past Cooma and all around the place whose families may come to Canberra to go to Ronald McDonald House and attend our hospital. It is not so much Canberrans who use the Ronald McDonald House, but it was amazing the number of Canberrans there on the night who had used Ronald McDonald houses in other cities, such as Sydney, for their own sick children when they went to Sydney for specialist treatment. The generous people of Canberra should be congratulated, along with the significant number of sponsors, hardworking volunteers and the committed staff of Ronald McDonald House Canberra.
I acknowledge the nearly 1,000 people who attended the ball who were able to participate in the fundraising. It was a direct donation of money. There was a silent auction. There was a raffle. There were a whole lot of different ways that you could contribute money on the night. The major sponsors were Lexus of Canberra and Mirko Milic. The other sponsors include Sothern Cross Nine and Elite Event Technologies. The 2018 gala ball committee that put on such a fabulous event included Hani Sidaris. Michelle McCormack, Nerissa Richardson, Troy and Karen Cassell, Jason Mathie, Ric Lecarcic, Melissa Beaumont, Shane Wolki, Nicole Carmichael, and Eoghan O’Byrne.
I especially make note of and thank the volunteers who assisted on the night. There were around 65 people who gave up their time to assist on the night. They were table hosts, they roamed the event selling tickets, and they were hosts at the champagne bar and the whisky bar. They made a wonderful contribution, which can be seen in the result of the fundraising.
I also thank and acknowledge the staff of Ronald McDonald House Canberra, led by Michelle McCormack, and they include Liz, Nerissa and Robyn, and the many volunteers at Ronald McDonald House. I have spoken in this place before about Ronald McDonald House and events and activities they undertake because I have been a volunteer at Ronald McDonald House since before I started here in the Assembly, and I continue to volunteer to this day when I can.
I bring to everyone’s attention to save the date for next year’s Ronald McDonald House Canberra gala ball. It will be on 6 April 2019. It will be a wonderful opportunity to support seriously ill children from all around our region and their families to enable them to have some form of a normal life while their very sick child is in the Canberra Hospital. Once again, congratulations to Ronald McDonald House Canberra and the gala ball committee. Thank you for your contribution.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
The Assembly adjourned at 5.35 pm.
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