O' What A Night!
On Friday 15th March the Auckland Museum's stunning top-floor events centre was ablaze with emerald green light and more than a touch of the Irish as some 250 friends of Mercy Hospice gathered to kick off St. Patrick's Day weekend celebrations in style!
With green the theme and adorned in all manner of St.Patrick's paraphernalia, guests really got into the spirit of O'Party - Mercy Hospice's first St. Patrick's Day Dinner and Dance. Event organiser Lesley Dawson and her faithful team of volunteers made sure they were given a night to remember including a themed buffet dinner and plenty to jig to with local band Tongue & Groove.
The roof was not the only thing that was raised at O'Party. More than $70,000 was raised to go towards the charity's vital work - an amount which Lesley likens to, "Finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!"
"It will make a significant difference in the lives of a growing number of patients and families facing life-limiting illness in need of our services and care," she says.
Through the generosity and support of the Hugh Green Foundation, Barfoot & Thompson, and the Auckland Museum, attendees were able to join in the festivities for a very reasonable ticket price of just $125 each.
"If you do the maths our sponsors and guests were so supportive of the work of Mercy Hospice," Lesley says, "It is wonderful to work for a charity that is close to the heart of so many Aucklanders."
Lesley's team of volunteers, including women who have worked with her for 15 of her 19 years at Mercy Hospice, were able to gather some wonderful items thanks to the goodwill and generosity of many sponsors. Auction items, to go under the auction hammer of Breakfast's Rawdon Christie and rugby legend Alan Whetton, included a magical trip for two to Ireland, a Harbour Cruise and cocktail party for 60 guests aboard super-yacht the Pacific Mermaid, and a sparkling emerald necklace to adorn the neck of one lucky punter. Also, thanks to many generous donors and supporters, up for grabs were goody bags that contained items worth much more than their price tag.
"It was wonderful seeing guests go home satisfied with a good night out and with much more than they bargained for," Lesley says, "It made the girl's wonderful efforts for Mercy Hospice all that much more worthwhile."