Tairua initiative raises nearly $10,000 for Project Mammogram

The goal: to empower local business women and in the process make thousands of dollars for Project Mammogram, a Lions led project.

On September 26 the stage was set at Tairua Bowling Club for the highly anticipated evening with Annah Stretton. Tickets had sold out within days of announcing the event and a not-so-short list was growing of people hoping a ticket would become available.

Maree says: “The turnout on the night was incredible. What started out as a business mentor meeting with Annah Stretton ended up being a fabulous fundraiser for Project Mammogram. Well over a 100 ladies and gentlemen turned up and we raised just under $10,000.”

Pictured above: Annah Stretton and Mike Brown.

Whitianga Lions Project Mammogram committee chairperson Mike Brown was the first speaker of the night providing an update on the Project and general information about how and why having a 3D mammogram machine permanently based in Whitianga is so essential for the eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula.

Mike’s address was very informative, says Maree. “He had everybody’s attention and there were a lot of ladies in the room that have been exposed to and had breast cancer. The way Mike presented his information was extremely informative. We all left knowing a bit more about what we should know about looking after our breasts and mammograms.

“All in all, the atmosphere was brilliant. We had a fabulous MC, local identity Tim Preston and he kept the evening light-hearted. As we know, we were raising money for a very important cause but we did keep the evening light with lots of raffles and a sense of fun.”

In fact the event was so popular, and incredibly well supported, including a generous top-up to the amount raised by Annah Stretton herself, that before the night was over there was talk of repeating it in Whitianga, home to the new mammogram facility.

“Annah matched what we raised that night. We raised just under $4000 on the night in the room and then Annah, at the end of the night announced that she would match that! Then she phoned me the next day and said ‘I’ll put $5000 in and let’s do another event so that we can raise the final $20,000 that Project Mammogram is looking for.’ And I went, OMG, okay, let’s make it happen. And it’s happening!”

Maree laughs at the idea that the next event, A Flight of Fancy at Coro Club in Whitianga on November 14 has “become bigger than Texas”.

“So get your tickets quick because they will sellout.”