Charity ball latest event to fall victim to coronavirus
A HUGELY popular social and charity event which drew more than 500 people last year is the latest item on the Cairns calendar to face COVID-19 cancellation.
Organisers of the FNQ Emergency Services Charity Ball yesterday made the “heartbreaking” decision to cancel the event, which was scheduled to take place at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal on August 1.
The ball, which raises vital funds for a different charity or cause each year, has grown into the largest of its kind in the city after launching in 2015 following the Ravenshoe cafe explosion.
Ball organiser and Cairns firefighter John-Byron Bacalakis said deciding to cancel had been tough, but their committee could see no way of it going ahead under social distancing restrictions.
“It’s been a heartbreaking decision to make because I think frontline workers are going to need something after this,” he said.
“Obviously numbers keep getting bigger so I don’t think we can cut it back (to comply with restrictions).”
Tickets were due to go on sale on May 1 but the ball committee decided to hold off until a decision was made, meaning they will not need to make any refunds. And Mr Bacalakis said the event’s sponsors were all happy to have their support carried over to next year’s event, which will be held on August 7, 2021 at the newly-redeveloped Cairns Convention Centre.
This year’s beneficiary was due to be Kick On, a mental health organisation started by Cairns musician and one-time reality TV star Drew Brauer.
Mr Bacalakis said it would be retained as the beneficiary next year.
Last year’s ball raised more than $30,000 for Street Level Youth Care, a group which provides food, counselling, friendship and support to homeless and disadvantaged youth in Cairns.
The ball’s cancellation followed a decision made by the Cairns Amateurs over the weekend to not go ahead with its racing carnival this year.