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This year’s dinner exceeded all expectations with 43 tables of people in attendance, Gorden Tallis signing autographs and 400 people trying to squish in around the exhibitors for pre-dinner drinks. The annual dinner is a way for the industry to get together, have some fun, raise money for a nominated charity and to honour the annual T&L Industry Development Award winners.
The 2010 nominated Charity was Foodbank with specific focus on two local charities; Mama Rene’s Foundation and the YMCA School Breakfast Program. The guests had the opportunity to hear from a truly inspiring man, Pastor John Dowell who runs Mama Rene’s Foundation for the homeless in Fortitude Valley. Pastor John and his wife Dianne feed the homeless in Brisbane twice a week and are the most dedicated and humbling people you will ever meet. So much so Costa Logistics donated over 33 trays of fresh fruit to Mama Rene’s on the set-up day of the conference. The produce donated by Costa Logistics are some of Australia’s most well known brands and they are also internationally recognised as market leaders in the respective categories. The donation included 6 x trays – BLUSH Truss Tomatoes (Donated by Tomato Exchange), 6 x trays – Berry Exchange Blueberries (Donated by Driscoll’s), 6 x trays – Driscoll’s Raspberries (Donated by Driscoll’s), 6 x trays – Driscoll’s Strawberries (Donated by Driscoll’s) and 6 x trays – VITOR Mandarins (Donated by Costa Farms).
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During the dinner George Weston Foods made a special announcement that they would donate $20,000 worth of loaves of bread to the YMCA school breakfast program which, added to the Costa Logistics donation, made the evening one of true and honest commitment to helping the homeless in Brisbane. Not to be outdone the dinner guests raised $10,000 in raffles – all of which were donated by our exhibitors and partners – and the auctions raised well over $15,000. Including the in-kind donations over $40,000 was raised in less than four hours; once-again showing the significance of the Queensland Supply Chain and Logistics Conference charity dinner each year for charities. In the last eight years the event has raised over $500,000 for charities across Australia and Africa. No other conference in the industry has this level of commitment to charities and the community.
Haymans Electrical sponsored the dinner entertainment which was speed-painter Brad Blaze. Brad had the room on the edge of their seats and some even leaning sideways to work out what he was painting. Some of the dinner guests had the opportunity to perform Elvis dance moves, Marilyn Monroe impersonations and let their hair down. A fantastic end to one of the most memorable dinners the conference has experienced. A Final thanks to Haymans Electrical, Costa Logistics and George Weston Foods and all of the people who attended the evening, for making a genuine differnce.
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