Hope is Global was the theme for this year’s Hills Relay For Life Ball which raised over $50,000 for the Cancer Council on Saturday.
It was a carnival of colour as the flags from the 30 nations which hold Relay For Life events decorated the stage at the Castle Hill RSL Lyceum room which was packed for the annual charity ball.
The crowd included Federal MP Alex Hawke and his wife Amelia, NSW Police and emergency services minister David Elliott and his wife Nicole and Hills Shire Mayor, Michelle Byrne and Hills Shire Councillors Frank de Masi, Liz Russo, Reena Jethi and Peter Gangemi.
One of the high spots of the night was when Police Minister David Elliott broke up a fierce bidding war for dinner at Parliament House by offering to host all three bidders a dinner in Parliament House, raising $3000 for the Cancer Council.
To reflect the global aspect of Relay there were Lion dancers, Irish dancers, South American dancers and Bollywood dancers plus dancing to the sounds of Audio Vixen and The Breakaways who donated their time.
Mc Michael Graham congratulated the Hills community for their support and reserved special praise for Relay For Life Ball sponsors, Allan Drew Funerals, Karen D’Angola at Guardian Realty, Kurrajog Strategic Counsel and aveo at Bella Vista. Chair of the Hills Relay For Life Michelle Sollom congratulated members of the Relay Ball organising committee saying that in the past 12 years it had raised $500,000 for the Cancer Council.
A video message from Global Hero For Life co-ordinator Thelma Suson from the USA congratulated the Hills Relay For Life for it’s work.
She said the first Relay For Life event was started by a colo-rectal surgeon in Washington, America Gordy Clatt who was hoping to raise money for cancer services at his hospital.
Relay For Life events are now held in 30 countries around the world, from Argentina to Zambia. The Hills Relay For Life was one of the first held in Australia. This year’s event on May 18 at Castle Hill Showground will be the 18thHills Relay For Life.
So far 88 teams have registered for this year’s Hills Relay For Life on May 18. For details visit cancercouncil.org.au/hillsrelay
