Pink fundraiser gives cause a lift

 

For the second year running a fundraiser affiliated with all shades of pink attracted a large number of locals who managed to collect an impressive amount of money while bidding for prizes, indulging in canapés and sipping pink champagne. 

More than 90 pink-clad women, plus a few men, packed into Mangawhai Heads Senior Citizens Hall on May 26 for the annual Pink Ribbon High Tea, raising $6250 for the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ (BCFNZ) in the organisations 10-year anniversary of the Pink Ribbon Breakfast. 
Organisers – mother and daughter team Jane Bentley and Emma Grieve – are tickled pink with the response to the event. 

“It was an afternoon packed with non-stop spot prizes, raffles and silent auctions… everyone had a marvellous time,” Emma says. “Mum and I want to thank everyone who came along, especially the fantastic team of volunteers, without whom the event would never have pulled together.”

Mangawhai’s Village and Heads Four Squares and Kaiwaka Four Square donated all necessary food items for the event and the numerous prizes were donated from local businesses as well as national company sponsors including Estée Lauder, Linden Leaves and Jelly Belly. 

“We were so thrilled with the support from the donators of prizes which raised $3166 from the silent auctions and raffles alone… so every cent taken from the event has gone straight to BCFNZ, with no expenses incurred,” Emma says. “The rest of the funds came from private donations and ticket sales.”

This is the second year the dynamic duo have organised the fundraiser in Mangawhai and their fifth time arranging a BCFNZ High Tea, with previous events held in their former Greenhithe home. Jane and Emma have both suffered personal losses to cancer, with Jane’s husband, Emma’s father, passing away in 2016 after fighting a rare and aggressive lymphoma, and her mother of breast cancer. 

With six New Zealand women per day – 3000 each year – being diagnosed with the disease, money raised is directed towards cutting-edge research, preventative treatments to stop the spreading of cancer cells, and support for women in the advanced stages of the disease. Last year BCFNZ raised $1.8 million and have already exceeded this year’s initial fundraising expectations. 

“I was very pleased to be able to focus my talk around the work that is done by the BCFNZ and how it affects every woman and man in the country,” Emma says. “Mum received an ovation from the audience when I finished, for all her work. Many, many thanks and congratulations to the Mangawhai Pink High Tea Team who work so hard to make our lives safer. We look forward to running another fun Mangawhai Pink High Tea fundraiser for BCFNZ next year.”

Pink supporters having a whole lot of fun while helping to raise funds for life-saving equipment and research into breast cancer. (PHOTO/Supplied)

IN THE REALM OF COLOUR, PINK IS THE HUE FOR UNIVERSAL UNCONDITIONAL LOVE OF ONESELF AND OF OTHERS, REPRESENTING COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING AND THE GIVING AND RECEIVING OF CARE.