December 1, 2015
Barely 10 days after holding a special charity luncheon at the Blackbutt Memorial Hall, the Blackbutt and District Tourism and Heritage Association (BDTHA) announced today it is has already passed the halfway mark in its ambitious fundraising program.
BDTHA aims to raise $65,000 to build a life-size bronze statue of local tennis legend Roy Emerson in Blackbutt.
Today the group announced a total of $37,500 has now been pledged to the project.
The group passed on its thanks to author and journalist Hugh Lunn, and tennis legend Mal Anderson, for providing an afternoon of entertaining anecdotes at the lunch, which was held on Saturday, November 21.
They also thanked Hugh for donating an autographed copy of his novel The Great Fletch – about Wimbledon larrikin Ken Fletcher – to a charity auction held at the luncheon; and to Ken Laffey, Director of Tennis Australia, who donated framed, signed photographs of Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova, compliments of Tennis Queensland’s State President Mark Bloomfield and Brisbane International CEO Cameron Pearson.
BDTHA member Hazel Christie Small said the group now have six Bronze Donors who have pledged amounts of between $500 and $2500: Mayor Wayne Kratzmann, Peter Rasey, Tennis Queensland, Stanwell Corporation, George Emerson from Brisbane and Baden Waldron from Roma.
They also have one Gold Donor: Sanders Frith Brown, a long time friend of Roy Emerson, who has pledged $32,500 toward the project.
“But we still have plenty of room for a Silver donor who’ll pledge an amount between $2500 and $5000,” Hazel said.
With funds already raised, BDTHA will now give the go-ahead to sculptor Mark Snell from Lavaworx Art Studio to begin building the statue in January next year.
The group wanted to also thank everyone who attended the luncheon.
“Your contributions helped us get underway to reach our goal,” Hazel said.
“We also want to pass on a big thank you to all the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail riders who have been so supportive in getting the word out there, and especially Tanya Smith for her continued sharing and posting on social media.
“Senator Barry O’Sullivan, although unable to make the event, agreed to promote our luncheon on his social media page, so many thanks to Barry and his team, too.”
“We have enjoyed great support from local media who have followed our progress since the commissioning of a statue was first suggested by Mayor Kratzmann at the beginning of the year.”
If you’d like to make a donation of any amount towards the Emerson statue yourself, it can be made by direct bank deposit:
BSB No: 633000
Account No: 155777626
Account Name: BDTHA
Reference: RoyS/your surname
Related articles:
- Tennis Tales Honour A Champion
- Last Chance To Book For Tennis Lunch
- No Way For Roy Emerson
- Petition Lodged To Honour Emerson
- Tennis Champ Has A Ball In Blackbutt
- Tennis Legend To Visit Blackbutt
