Order of St John host gala dinner to fundraise for special hospice project
Toowoomba's Order of St John host fundraising effort for hospice, to address the need for a beautiful retreat area for staff and family.
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THERE'S no doubt that sitting with a loved one in their final days or working in a palliative care facility can be tough.
That's why when Toowoomba's Order of St John resolved to host a fundraising effort for the Toowoomba Hospice, they decided to address the need for a beautiful respite area for staff and family members to retreat to.
Organising committee chair Julian Turner said the group put in a spectacular effort with the help of many generous donors in the Toowoomba business community, raising about $120,000 in cash and in-kind support for the project, which is now well under way.
Last weekend, some 270 guests turned out for a gala dinner themed "Winning with dignity", a nod to both the idea of being able to reach the end of your life with dignity and also to the event's guest speaker Sam Bloom.
Ms Bloom suffered a terrible accident in Thailand that left her a paraplegic, but with the help of a plucky little magpie called Penguin, she pulled herself up and went on to become a huge inspiration to many, even becoming a champion surfer.
Mr Turner said you could hear a pin drop in the room as she told her amazing story and it was a wonderful way to celebrate an incredible effort by members, supporters and sponsors.
"Newlands Group came on board and said they would build [the respite facility] and 30-odd local contractors came on board to give materials or services for free," he said.
"There were also additional sponsors that gave money.
"All up it was about $120,000 worth of support."
Originally published as Order of St John host gala dinner to fundraise for special hospice project
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