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The Inaugural ‘A Stroll Down Broadway’ was a grand success and raised $7,000 for the Toowoomba Hospice.

Promotions and Fundraising Manager Mr. Mark Munro said he had goose bumps through and through on opening night and he couldn’t wait until the matinee session on Sunday.

I was so proud of the Toowoomba Municipal Band and Choir ‘The Accidentals’ as they all did an outstanding performance in presenting  music from many great Broadway shows including ‘Love Changes Everything’ from Lloyd-Webber’s  ‘Aspects of Love’, Peter Allen’s ‘I go to Rio’ from ‘Boy from Oz’, ‘I Know him so well’ and ‘Anthem’ from the musical ‘Chess’.  The ever popular music of ABBA as seen in ‘Mamma Mia’ was featured in a great medley of their hits.

Mr. Munro also sang the praises of Compere Mr. Robert Ketton, Musical Director Lorraine Fuller, Choral Coach Cherie Macaulay and Choreographer Shannon Gralow who had combined their talents in this production with the whole cast to make it such a success.

All proceeds from the 2 performances have gone to the Toowoomba Hospice to help continue the invaluable free palliative care service for the terminally ill on the Darling Downs and Lockyer Valley.

Mr. Munro wanted to pass on the Hospice’s sincere gratitude to: University of Southern Queensland, Empire Theatres, The Glennie School, Bob Horstman, Mark Munro, Renae Coonan, Lorraine Fuller, Leanne Fuller, Ian A Rosenberger, Elizabeth Crook, Matthew Skerman, Stephen Lebsanft, Toowoomba Regional Council’s Community Access Fund, Hospice Volunteers, Municipal Band Volunteers & all media for their support of this event.

Finally to Lisa Skerman who made Mr. Munro’s dream of holding a special ‘Musical Concert’ a reality! I have been wanting to do something like this for a long time and when I put the idea to Lisa she was more than happy to get the ball rolling by securing the band and creating the ‘Accidentals’ Lisa was and is an absolute Gem…Thank you Lisa!”

The Toowoomba Hospice sent out a ‘Free Dress Challenge’ to all the businesses, clubs, organisations and schools on the Darling Downs and in the Lockyer Valley a few weeks ago via mail and Wippells Autos have taken it on!

Mr. Dave Russell – Dealer Principal of Wippells Autos says he and his staff will participate in the Free Dress Challenge in May on the proviso that other Car Dealers take on the Challenge too. I would like to challenge the other Car Dealers to have a free dress day in May or in June to help raise funds for the Toowoomba Hospice.  These funds will assist the daily operations of this important community facility providing palliative and respite care for all ages”

The organisers of the Challenge have taken a slightly different angle this year with running the Challenge over a 2 month period instead of 1 week Toowoomba Hospice Association Chairman Mr. Graham Barron OAM says This gives the businesses, clubs, organisations and schools a wider time frame to hold their free dress day.  We would like to raise at least $6000 from this fundraiser.

A Digital Camera, DVD Player, Photographic Portraits are up for grabs for the businesses, clubs, organisations and schools that raises the most money to make it fair for all; especially the ones with a smaller participants, the organisers will divide the total money raised by total Participants at the participating businesses, clubs, organisations and schools, to obtain an average raised per person.

Participants can contact Mark Munro on 07 46598500 OR email admin.toowoombahospice@bigpond.com to register their business, club, organisation or school

When the marquees go up and the plants, food and wine start moving in for the 2010 Heritage Building Society Gardenfest, the site will be transformed into a massive scarecrow convention thanks to the students of local schools.
The inaugural Scare Garden competition will be a major feature of this year’s Heritage Building Society Gardenfest with schools from around the region registering to participate in the group activity.
Heritage Building Society Gardenfest Schools Convenor Emily Murphy says that students are taking up the challenge to create all types of scarecrows.
There will be very scary ones, traditional ones and no doubt some very innovative scarecrows that will have the skies around the 2010 Heritage Building Society Gardenfest clear of crows and other garden pests,” she said.
Our school program aims to encourage primary school students to think positively about getting their hands dirty in the garden in a fun and creative way.
The winner of the competition, which will consist of a number of categories, will be determined by the public, so make sure you vote for your favourite scarecrow at Heritage Building Society Gardenfest on May 1, 2 and 3 2010.”

For more information,
Emily Murphy
Event Co-Ordinator
Heritage Building Society Gardenfest – The Gardening and Gourmet Weekend
0419 747 423
www.gardenfesttoowoomba.com.au