Blue Baths fundraiser a roaring success

SENT TO THE DAILY POST 29.6.10

The fundraiser- ‘High Tea & Bubbly & Concert & Fun Auction’ at the Blue Baths was a roaring success. Master of Ceremonies for the afternoon; Mr Steve Pinder, Regional Manager of Westpac  welcomed  the Chairman of NZ Rowing; Bill Falconer and his wife Olive, former mayor of Rotorua; Grahame Hall and his wife Sandy,  RBHS principal Chris Grinter and his wife Tuey, RGHS Principal Annette Joyce, former Mayoress of Rotorua; June Woolliams, Chief Executive; Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust ;Stuart Burns and his wife Andrea, Captain of the Rotorua Rowing Club; Kevin Cooney and his wife Marilyn  and a full room of discerning Rotorua patrons.

260 people attended the Blue Baths spectacular to help raise funds for the 3 Rotorua rowers; Julia Edward (NZ U23 Women’s Lightweight 2X crew) Laura Fischer (NZ U23 Women’s 4X crew) and Nigel Van Den Akker (NZ Junior Men’s 4+ crew)  going to the U23 and the Junior World Championships in Belarus and Czech Republic.

The rowers were introduced, by Steve Pinder, to a novel ‘question and answer’ section of the proceedings and the MC had the audience in fits of laughter from the beginning.

 “So you’re a lightweight” Pinder asked Julia Edward ;the U23 Women’s Lightweight Double Sculler.

“What does that mean?” Julia replied “All the lightweight women have a weight restriction of  57 kilo ”.

“Each limb” pondered Steve ” or is that 2 limbs?”

After a detailed and almost expert investigation of the workings of the Women’s quad sculls, Steve asked Laura Fisher... “ So how do you steer it?” Laura replied “ there is a pedal under the ‘stroke’s’ foot.” “Are you the ‘stroke’?”asked Steve. Laura’s replied ”No- I used to be stroke but not at the moment” . Steve inquired “Any aspirations to steer?”. In response to the laughter in the audience Steve explained “ I don’t know a lot about rowing. I ’m not a rower…“ pausing, he added “…I’m an athlete”

Turning his attention to Nigel Van Den Akker; the Junior Men’s Coxed Four rower, Steve asked. “Nigel – Are you single?” “Yes” replied Nigel smiling . “ Good-you’re Lot 12 then”

The concert, guest starred Tim Beveridge. Tim was born in Rotorua and has performed in numerous musicals including ‘Chess’ with the NZ Tour Company ;Stetson Productions,  ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ as Peter - the Principal Role for the Harry M Miller Production , ’The Phantom of the Opera’, ‘Sunset Boulevard’ , and also is an accomplished performer for TV; ’ Xena Warrior Princess’, ‘Orange Roughies’ and ‘Shortland Street’. Tim’s breathtaking vocal range was very evident in his performance of the  Charles Aznavour song ‘She’ (most recently  in the movie ‘Notting Hill’) for all the ladies in the audience with backing from ‘Dr Barry Smith Band’; Bill Anderson on drums, Neil Blackmore on bass and Barry on guitar, and the NZ Symphony Orchestra .  Beveridge’s  passionate performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's ‘Music of the night ‘from ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ was the powerful highlight of the afternoon.

Julia Edward had asked Tim , prior to the function, if he might also ‘seduce’ her Mum in public and Tim took Mum; Sue Edward, for a dramatic twirl on the dance floor as he serenaded her . With the phenomenal backing of the talented ‘Dr Barry Smith Band’ , Tim joined with ‘The Edward Brothers’; Harry, Dave, Ian and Stewart for a beautiful and emotional rendition of the Louis Armstrong song ‘ What a wonderful world’.

The Edward Brothers vocal prowess, set the scene for a  relaxed afternoon from a bygone era. With their soulful ‘ Besame Mucho’ , ’ Lucky ol’ sun’ and a poignantly beautiful ‘ Forever Young ‘ for the 2 ‘older’ ladies in the audience; Julia’s Edwards grandmother ;Isla Edward, 94  and Marj Peters 96 ;great grandmother to rowers; Harry and Luke Simperingham and Laura James and grandmother to  Masters rower; Christine Hobbs. The Edward Brothers dedicated, to all the parents in the audience; an harmonious  ‘Teach your Children’- the Crosby Stills and Nash and Young song.

 To the delight of all attending, Declan Cudd, a student at John Paul College; accompanied on keyboard by his teacher,Claire Mason; added class beyond his years, with his ethereal performance.

The tickets and the fun auction raised considerable funds for the three rowers and Laura, Julia and Nigel say a big “Thank You” to all the Rotorua Businesses and the Daily Post and the Weekender for their generosity. The U23 and Junior World Championships races will be televised and details will be confirmed shortly to the Daily Post.