Toowoomba drug rehab centre Sunrise Way raises $30k with incredible stories at resilience breakfast fundraiser

Toowoomba’s major drug rehabilitation centre has enjoyed an incredible amount of support at its latest fundraising event.

Getting ready for the breakfast are (from left) Laurelle Gordon, Sunrise Way resident Jayden Gordon and Andrea Boto.

One of Toowoomba’s only community-based drug rehabilitation centres has smashed its own fundraising records, after residents and businesses raised more than $30,000 at its major event.

Several people turned out to the Railway Goods Shed on Friday for the Sunrise Way Resilience Breakfast to listen to former international dancer Mary Li and former residents of the program.

Sunrise Way CEO Louise Sanderson said the final figure, generated from ticket sales, auction items and corporate sponsors, was well beyond what she had predicted.

“This is our fourth year of running the resilience breakfast, and across the previous three years we’d raised a combined $10,000,” she said.

Platinum sponsors of the Sunrise Way Resilience Breakfast was House Estate Agents, represented by (from left) Brittany Davidson, Tye Thies, Leanne Gillam, Emmy Thies and Taylor Hannant.

“We did think it was going to be upwards of $25,000, but we received extra donations on the day.

“Our event last year showed that Toowoomba has a keen interest in supporting services that go towards improving people’s lives.

“In the past year we’ve had 83 people access the service, and we’ve got a two-month waitlist.

“We had a number of our residents attend, and they were overwhelmed with the funding raised.”

Guest speaker at the Sunrise Way Resilience Breakfast Mary Li addresses the crowd at the Railway Goods Shed with MC Cr James O'Shea.

Ms Sanderson said the organisation’s operational costs were now fully covered by continuous income streams, allowing this extra funding to go towards new projects.

“As I flagged to the attendees, we’re now in a position where all operational costs are funded by participants and government funding, so extra funding is now focused on redevelopments, upgrades and new projects,” she said.

“Our service hasn’t changed, but we’ve been able to make improvements to improve our bottom line.

“What we desperately need are dedicated education spaces (and) through my work with UQ and USQ, we know the specifications needed to provide that educational spaces.”

Sunrise Way CEO Louise Sanderson with Toowoomba North MP Trevor Watts and Teen Challenge's Col Ryan at the Sunrise Way Resilience Breakfast.