Aurora raises $40K
The third annual Aurora Group dinner has been hailed a success -“ raising more than $40,000 for gay and lesbian community organisations.
Held on Saturday 29 June at the Sydney Town Hall, the fundraiser was attended by its biggest ever crowd of more than 400 people, who raised the most money ever for an Aurora dinner.
Author and comedian Bruno Bouchet was the MC for the evening and pianist and comedian Phil Scott performed.
The highlight performance was an excerpt from upcoming cabaret show Girls, Girls, Girls, starring Debra Byrne, Nikki Nichols and Wendy Stapleton.
The three performed a medley of songs from the 60s and 70s to get the crowd up and dancing, before DJ Luke Atkinson took over behind the decks and kept the crowd moving until the end of the night.
Sydney Festival director Brett Sheehy spoke about the Aurora Group Giving Program Trust Fund and invited all attendees to subscribe to the charity.
The trust was established by Aurora to benefit gay and lesbian charities such as the Twenty10 Gay and Lesbian Youth Services and the Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service of NSW.
The two gay and lesbian organisations will share the money raised at the Aurora dinner during the next 12 months.
Deputy Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney Lucy Turnbull welcomed the guests, who included Minister for Juvenile Justice Carmel Tebbutt, Anthony Albanese MP, Robert McClelland MP and Senator George Campbell.
Gay and lesbian organisations represented at the dinner were ACON, Pride, 2002 Gay Games organisers, Syd-ney Gay and Lesbian Business Association, DIVA, Mardi Gras, Starshots Studios, Travel Together, Marsdens Solicitors, the Midnight Shift, the Newtown Hotel and Stone-wall Hotel.
The event was sponsored by 3200 Lighting, Celebrate Labels, the City of Sydney, Becks Beer, Peach Advertising and Tiffany and Co.
