Ali Mau will MC the glitzy event Bisexual TV personality Alison Mau will host what is set to be a star-studded Gay Auckland Business Association charity auction at Auckland's Langham Hotel on 6 November. The annual event raises money for health, welfare and support services that benefit New Zealand’s LGBT community, as well as one of the largest tertiary scholarships available in New Zealand that helps young people through their first year of full-time study. Mau says she's delighted to be involved in the event for the first time. "We all know how hard it is to fund these kinds of services and how a lot of students can't afford to pursue their dreams and go on to study at a tertiary level, so it's great to be part of an event like this," she says. GABA President Glenn Sims says the auction is the focus of the fundraising year for the organisation. "In 2010 GABA celebrated its 25th anniversary and over the past decade, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised for New Zealand’s LGBT community organisations including Rainbow Youth, Body Positive and The Auckland Women’s Centre. "The GABA Charitable Trust is the only organisation dedicated solely to fundraising for lgbt causes and we are eternally grateful for the ongoing support for GABA and the trust from a vast range of donors and sponsors including ANZ, South Pacific Pictures, the New Zealand Labour Party and The Topp Twins." Among the items up for grabs at this year's event is a two-night getaway at Heritage Hotel in the Bay of Islands, complete with an Alfa Guilietta for the long weekend provided by Andrew Simms Mitsubishi, which has a combined value of $1800. Also going under the hammer will be a Hyundai Santa Fe that the winner will get to cruise around in for two weeks, dinner with MP Maryan Street, and walk on parts on Shortland Street. Trust chairman Gresham Bradley says the auction is the centrepiece of the evening and will raise vital funds that will go where it is most needed and where it will have the greatest impact. "The GABA Gold Charity Auction has become one of the biggest nights of our fundraising year and we are always incredibly grateful to the variety of businesses throughout New Zealand that generously donate these fabulous items, as well as all the wonderful people that don their glad rags and dig deep to bid," he says. The GABA Gold Charity Auction will be held at the Langham Hotel’s Grand Ballroom in Auckland on November 6 from 5.30pm.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 12th October 2011 - 8:48am