By TANIA PHILLIPS
BLACK, white and pink were the colours of the weekend as women (mainly) across the Tweed Coast stepped up and stepped out – all in the name of fund-raising.
On Friday night, the Tweed Heads Hospital Auxiliary held their annual fund-raising fashion parade at the Tweed Heads Civic Centre while on Sunday afternoon the Coolangatta Blues Aussie Rules club held their annual Pink lunch at the Kirra Sports Club.
On Friday, fashions were supplied by a wide range of local businesses as models of all ages strutted their stuff to buy new blood pressure machines for the Tweed Hospital.
Tweed Heads Hospital Auxiliary publicity officer Jean Carter said more than 150 people attended the black and white themed event.
“The total profit from the parade was $6203 which included the tickets for the evening and the raffle,” she said.
“The raffle prizes were: first – coffee machine and ‘pods’, second prize – Nexus android tablet, third prize of $150 voucher from one of the fashion houses participating in the parade and fourth prize – a rug and vanity case.
Winners were: first J. Channell; second A. Tawton; third – J. Howell and fourth – P. Harrington.
“We would like to thank all those who participated in the raffle and attended the fashion parade. The support we receive from our local community is always greatly appreciated.
“The prize money will be used to purchase three Dynamap blood pressure machines. “
On Sunday, host and club stalwart Grant McKenzie looked out over a sea of pink as more than 200 women and a couple of men took part in the annual pink fund-raiser lunch.
The event included some of the club’s players acting as waiters for the day and was aimed at raising money for the McGrath Foundation.
This year’s special guests were journalist and two-time breast cancer survivor Kate Carlyle and Gold Coast vet Geoff Wilson. The friends met almost a decade ago when Kate brought one of her Jack Russell/Pugs (known as Jugs) in for treatment and later became work colleagues when Dr Geoff had a show on the Hot Tomato radio station. Geoff will set out on a solo trek across Antarctica later and hopes to raise a million dollars for the McGrath foundation through his efforts.
Kate was diagnosed at the age of 31 with breast cancer and has battled it twice, going through eight surgeries and five months of Chemo.
She said Geoff’s solo trek will be similar to her cancer journey – although you have a lot of support – it is something you ultimately face alone.
All money raised on the day at Coolangatta will go towards Geoff an Kate’s million-dollar fund-raising quest.
The figures are yet to be finalised but Grant McKenzie believes it is their biggest pink event yet!
