The Big Night In Telethon 2009

Mega Gaming Hits Botany Town Centre To Raise Mega Bucks For TV3’s The Big Night In Telethon 2009

Have you ever wanted to test your gaming skills on a screen that would blow a 50-inch plasma out of the water?

On Saturday 8 from 9am till midday and Sunday 9 August from 10am till midday, the Berkeley Cinema at Botany Town Centre will be giving gaming fanatics a chance to test their skills playing on its 582-inch digital cinema screen in a one-off Big Screen Gaming Competition to raise money for TV3’s ‘The Big Night In’ - Telethon 2009.

The Big Screen Gaming Competition will be joined by a full programme of other exciting fundraising activities organised by the Lions Club of Howick and Botany Town Centre - one of the biggest ‘The Big Night In’ fundraising drives taking place in Auckland over the Telethon weekend.

This is one of the first big-screen gaming events of this kind to take place in New Zealand. The cost is $5 for entry into the cinema for both gamers and spectators and all proceeds will go to ‘The Big Night In’ charity, KidsCan Stand Tall Charitable Trust. KidsCan supports around 30,000 disadvantaged children in schools across New Zealand.

Due to high demand, people that want to take part in the big screen gaming competition need to register at Berkeley Cinema at Botany Town Centre to secure their place.

‘The Big Night In’ is the first live telethon to be held in New Zealand in 15 years, and will broadcast live on TV3 for 23 hours over 8 and 9 August. The television extravaganza will include celebrity dares, presentations of cheques, updates on the total funds raised, and crosses to the phone bank (just like 15 years ago), along with new features such as a dedicated YouTube channel, live streaming, social networking websites and blogs.

Communities throughout New Zealand will also be undertaking their own fundraising challenges to help raise as much money as possible for KidsCan.

The Lions Club of Howick is a proud supporter of ‘The Big Night In’ and has 150 collection tins ready to be rattled at Botany Town Centre for KidsCan.

If gaming is not for you, there is a host of other fun activities on throughout the weekend so everyone can join in the ‘The Big Night In’ fundraising efforts.

You can get involved by testing your bull-riding skills, spinning the wheel of fortune, taking the Configure Express endurance challenge or, for the slightly more adventurous, the Berkeley Cinema SUMO challenge.

There is plenty to keep kids entertained too, from bouncy castles and kiddie rides provided by the Fun Event Company, to face-painting courtesy of the Lollipops Educare. SpongeBob SquarePants, Jimmy the Monkey and the Hearts Bear will also be making a special guest appearances at the centre throughout the weekend.

There will be music and entertainment on both days: Saturday 9am to 5.30pm and Sunday 10am to 3.30pm.

“We’re delighted to be bringing some of the action of ‘The Big Night In’ to Botany Town Centre,” says Centre Manager Jennifer Manning. “Everyone remembers the excitement of a live telethon and this is our chance to show the younger generations just how fun it can be and how community spirit can get behind such a worthwhile cause. We’d like to show the rest of New Zealand just what the Botany community can offer by trying to raise as much money as possible.”

For more information on ‘The Big Night In’ activities at Botany Town Centre visit www.botanytowncentre.co.nz

‘The Big Night In’ – Botany Town Centre Saturday and Sunday 8-9 August 2009

• Berkeley Cinema Big-Screen Gaming Event: Saturday 8 August, 9am - 12noon and Sunday 9 August, 10am - 12noon. Challenge your friends or school mates, your brothers or sisters, your parents, your sporting club mates, your boss, your teachers! The cost is $5 per entry and there are great prizes up for grabs. Register at Berkeley Cinema and you'll be notified of your session time. All proceeds go to 'The Big Night In' Telethon.
• Centre Stage - Market Square: Wheel of Fortune, music and entertainment, telethon collectors: Saturday 8 August, 9am - 5.30pm and Sunday 9 August, 10am - 5.30pm.
• Berkeley Cinema SUMO Challenge - Centre Stage, Market Square.
• Town Centre Drive: Mechanical Bull Ride, Bouncy Castle, other amusement park/kiddie rides provided by the FUN EVENT COMPANY. Town Centre Drive will be closed to vehicles for the two days.
• Art Display and Auction on Sunset Terrace.
• Configure Express Endurance Challenge: rowing and cycling.
• SpongeBob SquarePants, Jimmy the Monkey and Hearts Bear roving characters: centre-wide.
• The Conservatory - Service Lane: Fire Brigade and St Johns Ambulance - inviting kids on board to have look at their rigs and meet the fire-fighters and ambulance drivers! Foyer: Lions Club of Howick stand.
• Face-painting - courtesy of Lollipops Educare.
• Local artist Ria van Rooyen will support the fundraising by painting landscapes on-site and then auctioning her work.
• Rodney Wayne Hairdressing will be holding a “Crazy Hair Studio” which will offer kids coloured hairspray, crimping and curling with all donations going to Telethon
• Chances Surf & Street Wear in conjunction with Val Lott, National Director of Miss Universe New Zealand will be holding 3 fashion parades on Saturday 8 August at 11.30, 12.30 and 1.00 pm in Botany Town Centre with the 18 Miss Universe New Zealand contestants. Also making a special appearance will be Miss Auckland and Miss Universe New Zealand 2007 Laural Barrett who might also be enticed into a musical performance.

ENDS

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