BHCC well done!

 

What a wet and wild day last Sunday was to be! However it would be the perfect formula for a great outcome for our BarbeCURE Day of Celebration.

 

On Friday evening, given the predicted 50 km + southerlies and 50 mm + of rain, the decision was made to make a marina-based event of some kind! After a near perfect day on the Saturday we woke on Sunday morning to very heavy rain.

 

All participants moved to boats around the 10 am start time for hot coffees and/or “Araluen” cocktails to warm up for the day.

 

Our guest researcher, Dr George Sharbeen, Celebrity Chef Adam Moore and Cure Cancer CEO Nikki Kinloch spent the next hour moving between boats, meeting club members and their invited guests for the day. Skippers’ Kits were distributed to Skippers who had been willing to provide their boat for the day – filled with many generously donated items from our sponsors (see logos on Home page)

 

Around 11.30 am we gathered around the Empire Marina members’ lounge and spilled out onto the walkway under a couple of pop up tents which kept most people relatively dry.

 

Dr George Sharbeen spoke and you could hear a pin drop. His research into Pancreatic Cancer at the Lowy Research Centre at the Sydney University of NSW. Pancreatic Cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer related death in Australia. Once diagnosed only 7% of patients survive longer than 5 years. Pancreatic cancer is highly resistant to chemo and spreads quickly to other parts of the body. George is seeking to identify new therapeutic targets for treating pancreatic cancer. His research has the potential to lead to more effective treatments for tumours in pancreatic and other types of cancer, and improve survival rates.

 

“ Our time, effort and donations not only give hope in the fight, they help fund future generations of research leaders”

 

We moved into our LIVE auction and some very spirited bidding turned into great outcomes for Cure Cancer and the donors of the prizes. 

​Big shout of thanks to our donors (logos are displayed on our Club’s Website) and the generous bidders.

​

• Cottage Point Inn 8 course Degustation dinner for 4 people - $1100 Kathy Gould

• Handmade quilt 165cm x 165cm – by Kathy Gould - $900 Jean Eames

• Cartoon depicting the new BHCC Clubroom Drawer – Tony Bowler - $1000 Ngaire Callaghan

• Riva sports Boat Model – created by Life Member Gordon Rowe - $2000 Kevin Gould

• BHCC Perpetual Fundraising Prop Trophy in Memory Ted Anderson - $1500 Scott Andressen

 

Nicki Kinloch, CEO Cure Cancer Australia spoke about BHCC being the longest fundraising group funding Cure Cancer. The challenges, during the Covid period and prior, when we had the drought and fires within Australia, had impacted all charity organisations trying to maintain their current funding models. Nicki also announced, given the amazing achievement for 2021 that a “Research grant will be provided in the name of Bobbin Head Cruising Club for 2022”. This means that your club will:

 

• be funding a cancer research project for a 12-month period,

• have direct contact with the Researcher in their chosen field

• have potential for lab tours – in person or by Zoom

• receive regular updates about their research work.

 

Our raffle was drawn with over 35 great prizes donated by many organisations around our waterways and members of the club. Dinner for four at Peats Bite was 1st prize with many great prizes from Cellar by Sea, Pearls of Australia, Waterside Bistro, Rigon Hats, R Marine Dillon, Tinnie boat hires, Vouchers from The Boat House, Hawkesbury River Oyster Shed, Smoker BBQ from Cure Cancer, music albums and multiple prizes of bottles of wine, clothing and accessories (see logos on Home page).

 

Each raffle book (10 tickets) sold, represented another hour’s research.

 

Time to eat. We fired up the BBQ and had great sausage sandwiches with meat supplied by Exclusive Meats North Turramurra, sauces by THREE THREE’s and bread and onions by Scott Andressen and Louise Cunningham.

 

Then our Celebrity Chef Adam Moore took charge and cooked some fabulous fruits on the BBQ to have with his pavlova, as well as an awesome cheese platter, Adam made, and was enjoyed by all.

 

So the Outcome of our BHCC 2021 Charity Fundraising Event resulted in over 1600 hours of Cancer Research ($80,000.00 + to date)

​

Please thank your BHCC Committee who supported the event and helped make it happen. A special thanks to Ngaire, who the committee assigned as Event Organiser in January, coordinating with Cure Cancer Australia and hosting the special guests whilst chasing many generous donors for prizes for the day. As a result our day has been run at zero cost to the club and means all monies raised via fundraising page, auction, raffle etc will be passed onto Cure Cancer Australia before the end of the financial year, if not sooner.

 

A big thank you to all who have given their time, treasure and talents for the event.

 

We cannot all be researchers, but we can all play a part in providing a path for this work to continue.

 

Bruce Callaghan

Commodore

"The Main Game"