Our first fundraising event took place at Sydney’s Greengate Hotel on 20th October 2013. The format was a fundraising auction of live and silent auction items kindly donated by some of Australia’s leading corporates and sporting identities from motor racing, rugby union, rugby league, cricket and from the English Premier League Club, Tottenham. 300 guests turned out to show their support who were well entertained by our guest speaker, Peter FitzSimons. Our auctioneer, Ari Taibel, of First State Auctions, also entertained us with his excellent humour.
Through this fundraiser and subsequent donations received, the foundation has raised sufficient funds to purchase a suitable vehicle to transport Ben. We are however slightly short of our target for modifying the vehicle as this is more expensive than initially realised, and exceeds the cost of the vehicle itself.
To the generosity of so many amazing donors, to the many who attended the function and opened up their hearts through their generosity at the auction and to those who subsequently donated to the foundation so generously .. as a family we are overwhelmed by your kindness.
We acknowledge companies and individuals who supported the fundraiser with goods and services:
| AAMI, Advanced Driver Academy, Alissa Breit (auction catalogue), Allan Moffat OBE, American Express, Athletes Foot (Hornsby), Audrey Wilkinson Wines, Australian Rugby Union, Avondale Golf Club |
| Bass Trading Corporation, Berrick Barnes (Australian Wallaby), Bettina Arndt, Betty Dykes, Big W (Macquarie), Blooms the Chemist (Gordon), Boab Boats, Brenda Coleman, Breville, Bunnings |
| Cairns Plaza, CBA (Gordon), Charleston’s Fine Art Auction, Chefs Gallery, Chugg Entertainment, Cisco Systems, Citibank, Coles, CPA Australia (NSW Division), Cremorne Orpheum, Cricket Australia |
| Daren Burney (UK), David FitzSimons, David Jones, Dymocks (Macquarie Centre), Dyson |
| Entertainment Book, Escape Travel (Burwood), Event Cinemas |
| Fiona Horton, Flight Centre (Lane Cove), Franks Hairdressing (Gordon), Fujitsu General |
| Gary Rudnick, Goldman Travel, Graham Gooch (former English cricket captain), Greengate Hotel, Greg McKenzie |
| Harvey Norman (Gordon), HIA, Howard William Steer |
| ICS Computer Service (Gordon), IGA (Nth Turramurra), IGA (Wahroonga), Intercontinental Hotel |
| James Willebrant, Janis Stein & Associates Optometrist, Jason Taylor (Assistant Coach, Sydney Roosters) |
| Kmart, Lance Armstrong, Lexus of Chatswood, Lilianfels, Lilly Blue, Lorna Jane, Lurline House |
| Marian Ashberg, Matador, McDonalds (Gordon), Metabo, Microsoft Corp, North Shore Synagogue (kosher catering) |
| Optus, Pablo and Rustys, Pampered Pets (Hornsby), Pet Town Store (Chatswood), Peter Boylan, Peter McKenzie, Pieroth Wine, Proskill Australia |
| Radio Rentals, Raymond Weil, Reece Plumbing (Gold Coast), RM Williams, Rocket Hair Salon, Roy Young Chemist |
| Samuel Breit, Shane Warne (former Australian cricketer) , Shelli Wallach, Shirley Eisenberg Brockwell, SIBI’S Restaurant, Skins International, St James Ethics Centre, Swarovski, Sybil Mervis, Sydney Lyric Theatre, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Theatre Company, Sylvia Lipski |
| Techtronic Industries, Temptation Bites, The Blushing Bride, The Boylan Group, The Formula Company, The Good Guys (Chatswood), Top Shop & Hilton Seskin, Telstra, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (London) |
| VEK Tools, Wesfarmers Limited, Westfield (Chatswood), Westpac (Gordon), Wild Women on Top, Winning Appliances, Woolworths (Gordon) |