In August, we had the opportunity to participate in Triple M radio interviews. These interviews were scheduled for the first three weeks of September, which gave us a great platform to promote our major events and introduce ourselves to the morning Triple M listeners. Each of us was interviewed by Jamie and Leigh, and despite the nerves (mainly from being warned about the special chairs that have a habit of bucking people off), Jamie and Lee made us feel at ease, boosting our confidence in public speaking on the radio. We are grateful to Jamie and Leigh for the delightful experience, which significantly contributed to our fundraising efforts.
The first week of September, we hosted our major event, a Malaysian Evening. The Malaysian Evening was the result of weeks of meticulous planning and coordination. The Entrants and the Quest Committee dedicated a significant amount of time to ensure that everything was lined up for a successful night, including catering, music/entertainment, speeches, photo booths, auctioneers, styling, and much more behind-the-scenes planning.
On the day of the event, we were busy setting up decorations, arranging table settings, testing the microphones, and taking care of other important details from early Friday morning until later in the day. Guests started arriving just before 6 pm, and we were thrilled to see the stunning outfits they were wearing. I had a lovely chat with a guest who was wearing a dress she had bought in Malaysia almost 30 years ago. It was so special that she wore it to match the theme.
During the event, we all took turns speaking on the microphone to express our gratitude to our amazing guests, sponsors, and Beneficiaries. We were a bit nervous at first, but as the evening went on, we found it easier and had the chance to personally connect with almost all of our guests, which was a truly rewarding experience. We had a blast taking photos in the photo booth and the 360 video booth, enjoying the band's wonderful music, and sharing lots of laughter with our family and friends. It was a truly wonderful night!
Later on, we all decided to head to the Blamey for a celebratory toast to mark the success of the evening. To our surprise, we ran into my sponsor, Leigh Burkinshaw from Burkinshaw Air, and decided to keep the party going with them. We stumbled upon the karaoke stand, and my fellow Entrants serenaded me with a rendition of "Happy Birthday" on the karaoke mic, which added an unexpected and heartwarming touch to my evening. Also, Kat and Maggie did an amazing job covering “Kryptonite” by 3 Doors Down, although we weren't sure if everyone else thought their singing was as good as we did! It was the perfect end to a truly memorable event.
On the same weekend as the Malaysian Evening, Belinda and Maggie were featured with Alan on the Triple A FM Party Mix on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, we were at South City selling raffle tickets for our major raffle. It was a really busy weekend, but we had a great time!
Mid-September was just as hectic, with Kat's Triple M radio interview on the 10th and Amy and Kat's Triple A party radio session on the 14th. On the 17th of September, we had the wonderful opportunity to visit Ronald McDonald House in Wagga and see firsthand the impact of our fundraising efforts, then to wrap it all up, Belinda made her appearance on the 18th for the Triple M radio interviews.
Finally, we ended the month on a high note with our 3rd major event, Spring Fling High Tea on the 22nd of September. This event was particularly challenging and required a lot of planning and preparation for it to all come together. That being said, it was a fantastic success. There were so many donated sweet and savoury treats, including mini sandwiches, fruit, scones, cakes, slices, pancakes, muffins, cupcakes and much more! A highlight was definitely Belinda’s homemade baklavas. She talked so much about them that once we finally got to taste them, we could see exactly what she was talking about - they were delicious!
We had the privilege to hear from some of our wonderful Beneficiaries: Ellie Webb from Country Hope, Lisa from Ronald McDonald House, Dawn from Riding for the Disabled, Daniel Lloyd from the Sarah Lloyd Scholarship Fund, and, although not a Beneficiary of the event, a true inspiration was Dana Nassih, who spoke about her experience with cancer and how important fundraising and events such as the High Tea are to her.
It was a wonderful day to meet so many new people and catch up with many returning guests. We thank everyone who made it and all who assisted us with donations of the food and entertainment. A special thank-you goes to Jenna, who did an amazing job with the music on the day.
After the delightful High Tea, we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening packing up to ensure that we left the Uranquinty Hall in impeccable condition, just as we found it. Once our task was completed, we agreed that treating ourselves to a celebratory ice cream was well-deserved and so we did just that.
At the end of the month, a few of us participated in the Thrashernats event. We showed up with our sashes and raffle tickets, mingled with fellow car enthusiasts, and worked hard to raise funds for our Beneficiaries. We met so many wonderful and generous individuals who wholeheartedly supported our fundraising endeavours. It was an amazing chance to connect with the community and try something different.
Reflecting on this month's experiences, amidst the hustle it has been an incredibly rewarding month. I am truly grateful for the overwhelming support and feel a deep sense of accomplishment for everything we have achieved. These memories will be cherished, and now we eagerly anticipate our Barefoot Bowls event in October, and the Crowning Event in November.
Thankyou for reading!
Shauna Lamotte