South Burnett Relay For Life Patron Carl Rackemann with guest speaker and rugby union great Andrew Slack and Cherbourg Mayor Arnold Murray, who did the Welcome To Country

July 25, 2017

Two of Australia’s best-known sporting greats – and an almost-great – entertained the large crowd at Saturday night’s “Dinner With The Captains” in Kingaroy.

The dinner is a major contributor to the South Burnett Relay For Life fundraising for the Cancer Council of Queensland.

Guests this year were rugby union great Andrew Slack, who played in 133 games for Queensland, 107 matches for Australia and captained 19 Tests.

Andrew received a standing ovation at the end of his interview by Carl Rackemann on the stage of the Kingaroy Town Hall.

Olympian Joyce Lester OAM may not be as big a household name but she should be … Joyce  has been inducted to the Australian Sport Hall of Fame, Softball Australia Hall of Fame and the International Softball Hall of Fame.

She had the audience spellbound with  stories about her incredible career.

There was some common advice in both talks – although no coach would recommend it – both sportspeople admitted they had played the best game of their careers while recovering from a night on the grog (and when they hadn’t expected to be playing).

The third guest speaker this year originally was to be rugby league player Petero Civoniceva; unfortunately Petero had to put in a late apology because of a TV engagement.

Organiser Carl Rackemann then turned to cricketer Greg Ritchie, who became a very late apology after he realised he had double-booked.

Looking around, Carl then located a vice-captain of another Australian team (non-sporting) that no one would have ever heard of … Mick Colliss.

Mick was the vice-captain of Australia’s inaugural sudoku team which took part in the 2008 World Championships at Goa in India.

Mick and his three mates (self-selected) represented Australia despite the fact that only one of them knew anything much about sudoku …

The audience loved it …

The main highlight of the night were the auctions, which attracted some enthusiastic bidding (see below).

The highest amount paid was $3600 for a 12-seat air-conditioned suite at the Gabba for the Day/Night ODI, Australia v England, on  January 19.

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Australian softball great and Olympian Joyce Lester was interviewed on stage by Carl Rackemann
South Burnett Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff with guest speaker Joyce Lester
Surprise guest speaker Mick Colliss
with Cr Ros Heit
No sudoku is NOT a martial art, as the vice-captain of Australia’s inaugural sudoku team, Mick Colliss, explained to the audience, while also explaining that he had not actually completed a sudoku puzzle before he stepped on the plane to head off to India to play for his country
2017 Face of Relay John Bjelke-Petersen with 2016 Face of Relay Allen Bassett
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington and Jason Frecklington
Cr Gavin “Spud” Jones with Member for Maranoa David Littleproud
Four of the “purple pirates” who were working hard on the night selling drinks tickets and raffle tickets … from left, Tilleea Hoskins, Megan Ward and Lyn Hill, from Kingaroy, and Karen Bishop, from Wondai
Victoria Leach, from Brisbane, and Maddie Rackemann, Wooroolin
Cancer Council Qld CEO Chris McMillan and SB Relay For Life chair Rowena Dionysius
Working hard behind the scenes in the kitchen were chefs Jimmy Stephen and Jason Ford
Jason Ford, centre, with his team of TAFE Hospitality students who were plating the meals
TAFE Hospitality team leader Sandra Perry, far right, with her team of TAFE students that were looking after “front of house”
Wooroolin Lions had their traditional role behind the bar … Wayne Learmont, Chris Marks, Dave Goddard, Peter Wingfield and Russell Dower
Nancy O’Brien, from Brisbane, with Rosie Schmidt and Jacqui Irwin, Kingaroy
Tables of rapt listeners … Kingaroy Town Hall was packed for the annual Dinner With The Captains

* * *

Auction Results

Auctioneer Dennis Cotter returned from New Guinea especially to conduct the auction … he also brought with him a bottle of Ramu rum which raised $620

Main Auction –  $14,500

  • $1200 – Two tickets to Day 3 of the first Ashes Test, Australia v England, in the Queensland Cricketers Club, including lunch with drinks in the company of two mystery guests and accommodation provided (donated by Queensland Cricketers Club and Sudima Suites)
  • $600 – Framed photograph of the Brisbane Broncos 2006 Premiership-winning side signed by Darren Lockyer and Shane Webcke (donated by Rod Dionysius)
  • $1700 – Advertising package on CROW-FM (donated by CROW-FM)
  • $1600 – (8 x $200) – Last man standing auction – Eight Relay for Life purple cricket balls signed by the three Captains
  • $3600 – 12-seat air-conditioned suite at the Gabba for the Day/Night ODI, Australia v England, on Friday, January 19 (catering not included)(donated by Cricket Australia)
  • $800 – “Your Big Party” at the Kingaroy Hotel Motel with entertainment by MisFitz and a $150 platter donated by Taste South Burnett and finger food (donated by Kingaroy Hotel Motel, MisFitz and Taste South Burnett)
  • $600 – Framed and signed 2016 Queensland Firebirds shirt – Trans-Tasman netball champions (donated by Trevor and Carleigh Hansen)
  • $600 – Framed and signed 2017 Sunshine Coast Lighting training shirt – inaugural Suncorp Super Netball Champions 2016 (donated by Sunshine Coast Lightning)
  • $2100 – Two Category A Reserved tickets to the Ed Sheeran concert on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 – both of his shows are now sold out (donated by Suncorp Stadium)
  • $700 – Joyce Lester’s Olympic tracksuit top
  • $1000 – 2014 Queensland State of Origin jersey, signed and framed (donated by Ray Mason’s Best Memorabilia)

* * *

Silent Auction – $3698

  • $500 – Framed cricket/rugby league shirt signed by Andy Bichel and Mal Meninga (donated by OzValueAG)
  • $500 – Framed Wallabies jersey (donated by Michael Young)
  • $202 – Framed and signed photo of yourself and guests with the three Captains (donated by Kathy Steinhardt’s Treasure Pics)
  • $250 – Framed print of 2011-12 Queensland Bulls – Sheffield Shield Champions, signed by captain James Hopes and coach Darren Lehmann (donated by Gary Reardon)
  • $200 – Signed mini replica helmet of Australian racing driver James Courtney with Certificate of Authenticity (donated by OzValueAG)
  • $650 – Two Platinum Grandstand tickets to the Paul McCartney concert on Saturday, December 9, 2017 (donated by Suncorp Stadium)
  • $620 – 750ml bottle of award-winning Papua New Guinea Ramu Rum – bottle number 6313 – signed by the three captains (donated by Dennis Cotter)
  • $776 – Framed and signed limited edition print of David Campese, also signed by artist Michael Bain (donated by Neil Smith Picture Framer – Murgon)
The 2014 Maroons jersey – being carried through the crowd – raised $1000

 

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