Gala dinner to carry hospital fundraiser forward

Maleny Hospital Auxiliary president Carole Lewis.

A long-running Maleny fundraising tradition is entering a new chapter, with the Maleny Hospital Auxiliary launching a new signature event to support Maleny Soldiers Memorial Hospital.

The inaugural Heart of the Hinterland Gala Dinner will be held at the Maleny Showgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, June 20.

The event will continue the spirit of the auxiliary’s spring fundraising calendar, which has brought the community together for almost 20 years.

What began as Fashion and Flowers at the RSL later became A Springtime Affair High Tea at the Showgrounds Pavilion, drawing local women together in friendship and generosity to raise money for the hospital.

Maleny Hospital Auxiliary president Carole Lewis said the change in format reflected the changing needs of the hospital and the broader community.

“The heart stays the same, the cause stays the same and the people remain the same,” Ms Lewis said.

“Only the format has changed.”

Ms Lewis said the previous events had made a real difference by helping the auxiliary raise funds for vital equipment and practical needs for patients and staff.

“We are all immensely proud of these achievements,” she said.

“As our community grows and changes, so do the needs of the hospital, and with that comes change to expand the hospital auxiliary’s impact further.”

Last year marked the 19th year of Fashion and Flowers and A Springtime Affair High Tea in its existing form.

Ms Lewis said the new gala dinner would honour everything the fundraiser had stood for — community, friendship, generosity and heart — while giving the auxiliary greater capacity to continue raising much-needed funds.

The auxiliary is inviting long-time supporters, past attendees and new guests to be part of the inaugural event.

Ms Lewis said early supporters had helped build the fundraiser over many years and were warmly invited to come along for its next chapter.

The Maleny Hotel will provide pickups and drop-offs on the night.

• The Heart of the Hinterland Gala Dinner will be held at Maleny Showgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, June 20. Tickets are available by contacting Carole on 0414 373 734 or Sandra on 0488 749 759.