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On Saturday, 25 February, over 300 attendees will descend on the Tamworth Town Hall to raise much-needed funds for five local charities at the inaugural PRD People’s Choice Charity Ball.
Jacqui Bijnens, chief operating officer of PRD Tamworth, professed that such occasions are “very special for the community.”
To be emceed by local member for Tamworth, Minister for Lands and Water, and Minister for Hospitality and Racing, Kevin Anderson MP, the ball was inspired by a recognition of the fundraising difficulties many local charities experienced during “the various COVID lockdowns and restrictions,” Ms Bijnens said.
The event is set to spotlight and raise funds for five organisations: Ronald McDonald House, Little Wings, Tamworth Community Men’s Shed, Serendipity, and Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
In hosting the event, PRD Tamworth wanted to utilise their property marketing experience to “work for the community and raise the bar on our normal community-related events.”
“We wanted the event to be one where the people of Tamworth could choose which charities the funds raised would go to, and so when a ticket is purchased, the attendee can select which of the five charities they would like the funds raised to go to.”
From here, “the net proceeds from the ball will be allocated to each charity based on the percentage of tickets sold in the charity’s name.”
Each charity was selected by a member of the PRD Tamworth team, with the network desiring “a selection of charities which supported different groups of people in our community.”
“For example, Little Wings assists babies and young children who need to be flown to emergency care in Newcastle or Sydney,” Ms Bijnens said. “Serendipity focuses on women’s health, the Prostate Cancer Foundation on men’s health, [and] The Men’s Shed is a local organisation providing a safe space welcoming men.”
She added that the team has already lent their support to Ronald McDonald House Tamworth and their families in need “for many years now.”
Ms Bijnens explained that the event has already helped to raise the profile of some of the charities that were not so well known in Tamworth.
According to the COO, an overwhelming number of corporate sponsors have come on board with the initiative, which, in Ms Bijnen’s estimation, showcases “many businesses in Tamworth felt the same way as we did and wanted to help the local charities who have done it tough over the last few years.”
Despite desires to host the ball annually, Ms Bijnens explained that a more realistic expectation is to host a biennial or triennial ball given that “organising something of this scale involves quite a large time commitment from various team members who would normally be out listing and selling property.”
“Whilst the common perception is that real estate is all about property, it’s really about people and relationships and the ball has given PRD a great opportunity to connect with more people in a positive way,” she concluded.
Individuals can offer their support to the cause by either making a donation through PRD Tamworth or entering the event’s silent auction, which boasts a host of items and experiences donated by local businesses.
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