Harcourts Auctioneers Help Koru Care Raise Record

NEWS RELEASE

Harcourts Auctioneers Help Koru Care Christchurch Raise New Record of $198,650

For Release: 13 September 2007

Four Harcourts Auctioneers; Phil McGoldrick, Roger Dawson, Hayden Broadbelt and Owen Patterson recently put their hearts, souls and auctioneering skills in to action to help raise $186,100 at what has become an annual sell-out fundraising ‘must attend’ evening for Koru Care Christchurch. The fundraiser then carried on the next day with event MC’s Dave and P from Classic Hits raising another $12,550 on air bringing the total to $198,650.

This is the third time the auction fundraiser has been run with $86,000 in the inaugural year, followed by an outstanding $160,000 last year. The money raised by Koru Care Christchurch Charitable Trust helps groups of children with disabilities and life-threatening illnesses go on the trip of a lifetime to Disneyland and other US theme parks. As the main fundraiser for 2007, it enables 24 children from the top half of the South Island and caregivers to depart on 16 September for their 17 day trip of a lifetime.

Harcourts National Auction Manager, Phil McGoldrick has managed the auction at all three events. As New Zealand’s top Auctioneer in 2006, and runner-up 2007, he has twice represented the country and been a finalist in the annual Australasian Auction Championships. At this year’s Koru Care fundraiser, Mr McGoldrick was accompanied by former National #1 Auctioneer Roger Dawson (Harcourts Christchurch City) and National Auction Novice champions Hayden Broadbelt (Harcourts Belfast) and Owen Patterson (Harcourts Beckenham).

With over 60 big ticket items auctioned off at this year’s Koru Care fundraiser in what is also seen as the ‘main stage’ entertainment for the evening, Mr McGoldrick noted the Auctioneers worked hard to engage the audience, encourage bids, and ensure there was plenty of audience participation and laughter. Event organiser Becs Harrison said, “I am absolutely blown away by the unprecedented level of support the Christchurch business community has shown Koru Care Christchurch over the past three events. Last year I thought we had set an unbeatable target, so I’m thrilled to have eclipsed it again!

Harcourts Auctioneers Help Koru Care Christchurch Raise New Record of $198,650

This year over 400 items were donated by local businesses and individuals for both our huge silent auction and big ticket auction list. Combined with 510 generous guests and an unbeatable team of Harcourts Auctioneers, it’s a massive display of kindness, a recipe for success, and a great privilege to be part of.”

Mr McGoldrick said Auctioneers often donate their skills to assist with fundraising auctions, estimating around 100 such events each year. “While fortunate to assist with a huge number of charity auctions, this event surpassed anything I’ve been involved in. Not only was it a clever and novel catalogue of items, the evening was brilliantly organised with the guests responding in an amazingly generous way.”

This year the event featured a circus theme with plenty of entertainment. The Julian Harding Gypsy Earring Promotion saw body painted ‘gypsies’ sell gypsy earrings for the chance to win a $3000 diamond. The promotion winners promptly donated their win to the auction which then achieved $2000. Other unusual items included:

- With Mark Inglis as guest speaker, one auction item was a unique framed piece of ‘Everest Mementos’ donated by Wayne Alexander (who designed and made Mark’s legs, and summited Mt Everest with Mark in 2006). This piece included a bodyshell of one of Mark’s feet that went up the mountain, small rocks from the top of Mount Everest, and photos. It went under the hammer for $3000.

- ‘Pimp My Party’ sold for $7500 giving the successful bidder $15,000 worth of goods and services to put on the ultimate party of a lifetime.

- A dinner for six at No.4 hosted by Crusaders coach Robbie Deans.

- A ‘Kids Backyard Cricket Bash’ with cricket legend Chris Harris, a bouncy castle and spit roast for 35.

- ‘3 News Reporter for a day’ to observe the whole 3 News process from ‘whoa to go’.

- Lunch at Bellamys in Wellington with Winston Peters.

- A week’s fishing with Carpentaria Seafaris - best salt water fishing on the planet (Cape York, Australia)

The final auction lot of the evening was the ‘Cape Cod Getaway’. At last year’s auction visiting US man Phil Guerra spontaneously donated a month’s accommodation in his new Cape Cod home with Air NZ then generously taking up the challenge on the spot to provide return airfares for four to this luxury US coastal destination. This unexpected donation achieved $25,000 under the hammer. This was generously gifted back this year by the family who purchased it in 2006 to be re-auctioned, and fetched a further $23,500.

ENDS

EVENT SPONSORS:
- Ultimate Carwash Café - The Radio Network
- Hotel Grand Chancellor - Global Office
- Illuminati-NZ - Whirl Productions
- Pernod Ricard

BACKGROUND: The Koru Care Christchurch Charitable Trust (www.korucare.org) was launched 22 years ago to assist children with illnesses and/or disabilities to enjoy a holiday they would never forget. Up to 24 children aged 8-15 accompanied by 12 caregivers and Dr Larry Skiba go each year for a two week action packed holiday of a lifetime to major US theme parks with the fundraising covering airfares, accommodation, caregivers, medical team, all meals and entry to all attractions.

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