Main funding purpose: Equipment for operating theatres

The story so far

In 1938, at the request of two members at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, who were doctors at the RCH, a group of wives of members established the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club Auxiliary to fundraise for the RCH.

For over 80 years, fundraising events have been held at Kooyong to support the hospital. In the early days these varied from dinner dances and jazz evenings to fashion parades and lunches. The Auxiliary now hosts five annual functions; the main one being the Ladies’ Grass Court Tennis Tournament, which first started in 1962 and has 300 attendees annually. Members also host two card days, a Christmas in July lunch and a trivia evening.

Since inception the Auxiliary has donated over $800,000 to support, fund and subsidise many RCH research programs and grant requests.

The Auxiliary has nine members recognised as Living Treasures, four of whom serve on the committee today. Long service is common for the Auxiliary, and two past Presidents, Marie Devereux and Carmel Quinn have received their 35 year service badges.

2022/2023 Auxiliary Report

During this financial year we held five successful fundraising events. Our Christmas Wonderland Lunch in August, with guest speakers Sam Groth and Nicole Bradke, raised $9,207.29, followed by our Card Luncheon in September, raising $3,155.75. Our Trivia Night in October raised $4,040.05. In March we held our Ladies Doubles Grass Tennis Tournament, the first time since 2020 that this event had occurred. Attended by 312 players (a sell-out), $20,009.25 was raised – a record for our Auxiliary! Our final event was another Card Luncheon in April, raising $4,194.50.

Acknowledgment must be given to Conor Horgan of MECCA Brands for his very generous donation of raffle items for each of our events. In addition, the support of Frieda Werner at our functions over many years was acknowledged by a luncheon and the presentation to her of an RCH Auxiliary Friend certificate.

Office bearers

President: Lyn Wheat
Secretary: Patty Wallace-Smith
Treasurer: Jenny Booth

Contact

Jenny Booth

Email
[email protected]

Phone
0413 879 001