News
Ararat Branch’s Gala Night of Nights hailed a huge success and crowd pleaser
3rd June, 2009
Last Friday night's 8th annual Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation - Ararat Branch's Gala Night held at the Ararat Performing Arts Centre attracted over 270 guests and has been hailed a huge success by the organizers and the best ever by those attending.
At the beginning of the night special guest, Police Commissioner Simon Overland reminded guests of the work of Victoria Police, and the important role the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation undertakes in raising vital funds for public hospitals to perpetuate the memory of Victoria Police killed in the line of duty. Guests were asked to stand and join the Police Commissioner and fellow Police Members present to take a moment to remember and reflect as the hall lights were dimmed.
With Police Code 1 taking centre stage for the first time at the Ararat Branches major fundraiser they immediately made an impact with guests quickly realising they were in for a great night of entertainment and dancing.
Lead singer, Leading Senior Constable Brian Carbery and the newest addition to the band, Musician Lorena Novoa together with Senior Musicians Richard Bennett, Simon Deppeler and Rick Varlet put on an amazing performance and certainly reinforced their acclaim as one of Melbourne's hottest groups.
For the Ararat Branch through the generosity of attendees together with the many supporters and community donations on the night over $39,000 has been raised, the best ever result, and this will all be donated to the John McNally Medical Imaging Department at the Ararat Hospital.
A substantial boost to the final result was the $10,000 presented on the night by Chris Emmerson on behalf of the Emmerson Financial Group and AMP Foundation, together with other Emmerson Financial Group Principles, Terry Emmerson and Roger Simkin. This is the second year the Emmerson's have initiated this major donation and further strengthens the partnership with the Ararat Branch and East Grampians Health Service.
In addition the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation, through Chairman John Forbes, took the opportunity at the event to present yet another significant separate donation of $30,000 on behalf of the Foundation to the John McNally Medical Imaging Department.
Both these outstanding donations certainly sparked up the fundraising on the night with guest Melbourne Auctioneer Phil de Fegely inviting everyone to continue the generosity by dipping into their pockets for the popular Gala Auction and the Silent Auction. And they certainly did in giving $17,434 to the Auctions and the Crayfish Raffle.
A highlight of Main Auction was the presentation as a keepsake of the original locks from the holding cell from the now closed Ararat Police Station, which was specially mounted and framed to recognise the commitment of Ararat Police over the past 50 years, and way back to the times of Sgt John McNally who was killed on the goldfields at Cathcart in 1856.
Through a big community effort towards this item by guests contributing $2,500 the padlock will be presented to the new Ararat Police Station when it is opened in late 2010.
The Ararat Branch members were thrilled with the success of the event and would like to acknowledge and thank everyone again this year for contributing to the success of their revamped 2009 Gala Night of Nights, and for again giving so generously.
