Ladies to join the lads at fundraiser
THE Lads Lunch is going through its biggest shakeup in 12 years as it becomes less of a blokey booze up and more of a couples’ knees up.
Dan Marino told BB the bi-annual event, which has raised $750,000 for local charities since starting in 2007, will host its second couple-friendly Lads Lunch after a successful trial at Nineteen at The Star late last year.
That “trial” lunch raised $30,000 for child protection organisation Bravehearts, which is based at Arundel.
Mr Marino said friends had noticed the first couples’ Lads Lunch closely followed his marriage to Stephanie Fish last year.
“I’ve been running it for 10 years and all of a sudden I’ve introduced a couples’ lunch. A couple of the boys have given me stick for that,” he said.
The other change is the Lads Lunch throwing its support behind the Men In Business charity, headed by Marco Renai.
MIB aims to help teenage boys who have “fallen through the cracks” through mentoring and life coaching and education.
The charity is also aiming to raise $800,000 to open the Gold Coast’s second all-boys school.
Mr Marino said the first Lads Lunch of the year will be held at Simon Gloftis’ acclaimed eatery Hellinka next Friday.
He said Mr Gloftis, who is a friend, had been very accomodating after a last-minute venue change from a yacht to the Greek restaurant.
“I gave him last-minute notice and without any thought he said ‘yes mate let’s make it work’.”
The lunch will raise funds for MIB ($30,000-$50,000 is the target) with the yacht venue to be used for the second Lads Lunch to be held in September in conjunction with MIB.
“We are trying to assist them reach their start up target,” he said.
“To be able to support them is good. Some of these charities are struggling.”
Mr Renai said MIB has raised $380,000 of the $800,000 it needs to open the independent school for 90 boys in grades 11 and 12. Mr Renai said a site at 73 Nerang St in Southport has been assessed as suitable and he will be seeking government funding for the school.