Queenstown fundraiser sets a record image 1

Queenstown fundraiser sets a record

Colliers Queenstown fundraising event nets $211,000

Thursday 22 Apr 2021

$211,000 raised! A record-setting charity fundraiser came as a huge surprise for our team at the annual Colliers Latitude 45 South lunch. Cancelled in 2020 due to Covid, March 2021 set a new bar for the amount generated in the event’s 10-year history.

‘Put simply, we’re humbled by the extraordinary generosity shown by both those donating items for auction and of course the bidders on the day. Given the economic and social volatility of the last 12 months, we anticipated a ’softer’ level of fundraising at this year’s event, however the enthusiasm shown by attendees eclipsed what we thought it was possible to achieve,’ says Mark Simpson, Director of Colliers Otago.

Iconic Queenstown location

This year the Queenstown property company's event was hosted at the iconic Blanket Bay at the base of Glenorchy’s Richardson Mountains. 65 private high net-worth clients and top Colliers brokers from around New Zealand were invited by Colliers Otago to Queenstown to take part in the day. Flying in by helicopter to Blanket Bay, activities including clay bird shooting and golf were interspersed with canapes and an oyster bar throughout the morning. A decadent 5 star lunch including locally-caught crayfish and Akarua wine donated by the Skeggs family was served in Blanket Bay’s award-winning Villa.

The event culminated in a charity auction run by Colliers Queenstown's own Auctioneer, Brendan Quill. 20 bespoke experiences and items went under the hammer including a luxury four-day escape to Fiji’s Vomo Island, exclusive golf rounds at Tara Iti, The Hills and Kinloch and a ‘Dive into Fiordland’ weekend of hunting, fishing and relaxing on the MV Pembroke, courtesy of Fiordland Charters. Blending luxury with wilderness locations, the day offers lasting memories alongside meaningful support to the selected charities.

Three charities set to benefit

Founded in 2011, the primary beneficiaries of the event are the Wakatipu High School Foundation, Cure Kids and the Otago Hospice.

Wakatipu High School Foundation (WHS) Chairman, Wayne Foley, is grateful for the overwhelming support Colliers Otago shows WHS. “Colliers Otago has made a significant impact at WHS with their incredible generosity over the years and we are very appreciative of their commitment to youth education in the Wakatipu Basin. The funds raised by the Colliers Latitude 45 South Lunch enables us to support our local high school students to reach high academic, sporting, and arts achievement, assist students who are experiencing financial hardship to fully participate in educational and extra-curricular opportunities, as well as supporting the well-being of our school community.”

Simpson adds, “After running the event for a number of years, we’re confident that the Latitude 45 South Lunch offers guests a truly unique experience and one which allows them to do something very special in our beautiful region. Invitees come prepared to help out our chosen charities, which shows in the incredible results – over $1.4m has been raised since its inception. We couldn’t achieve results like this without the kindness of the many sponsors and donors.”

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