25 August 2005
“Incredibly Generous” South Island Businesses Donate Auction Items to Massive Fundraiser For Release:
What is believed will be the largest fundraiser ever to be organised across the whole of the South Island has seen
“incredibly generous” support from South Island businesses to raise what is hoped will be around half a million dollars
for Ronald McDonald House South Island which supports South Island families with seriously ill children.
Officially launched in late April, the fundraising event called the Harcourts House Party is a massive auction and
variety show being held at the Aurora Centre in Christchurch Sunday 11 September 2005.
Harcourts Business Development Manager, Jim Davis said, along with their local Rotary Clubs, all 42 Harcourts offices in
the South Island have enthusiastically worked with their local business community to donate quality goods and items to
auction for the fundraiser.
“We have been overwhelmed with the response, particularly the main auction item provided by Horncastle Homes in
Christchurch.”
The ultimate auction item is the new four bedroom Harcourts Horncastle Home for Ronald McDonald House, especially
constructed in recent weeks by Horncastle Homes in their Gilberthorpes subdivision and fully furnished. “We are thrilled
with not only the enthusiastic support from Horncastle Homes team, but the generosity of all the contractors involved,
including those who completely furnished the house.”
The Harcourts Horncastle Home is open to view weekdays 1-4pm and weekends 1-3pm until the auction and is enjoying great
public interest. [Note: a full list of contractors is available at the end of this release]
The other over 100 donated auction items will be available on the Trade-Me website (www.trademe.co.nz) from 4 September.
[Note: a full list of items is at the end of this release]
A few key items will be auctioned live with the furnished house at the Harcourts House Party - a four-hour long
‘telethon-style’ live telecast on 11 September on CTV and Southland TV, and available on Sky Digital channel 90.
Multiple websites and radio stations including Newstalk ZB and Classic Hits are generously taking the coverage
Island-wide.
A number of professional popular entertainers have been confirmed for the show which will be hosted by Jason Gunn, who
most recently hosted the huge television hit, ‘Dancing with the Stars’.
The entertainers include Ray Columbus, Yulia, Chris Cairns, Mark Hadlow, John Grenell, Olly Ohlsson, McPhail & Gadsby, and many more. Others keenly supporting the party but unable to make it on the day such as Boh Runga, award
winning Scribe and Aaron Mauger, among others, are filming special messages of support to be shown.
Mr Davis said that Harcourts business owners across the South Island were traditionally keen supporters of charities and
sports teams, so when approached were enthusiastic about coming together to sponsor the Harcourts House Party to support
families in their own communities who transferred to Christchurch for their children’s treatment.
Mr Davis said, “With over 40 Harcourts offices located in the heart of their communities throughout the South Island
working with families everyday, we readily identified with the crucial role Ronald McDonald House South Island plays.”
ENDS