Thank you to our donors

Thanks again to all those who donated prizes for last night's trivia night. We were inundated with gifts. And thank you to Katya for arranging the display boards.

In case you can't read the names:

CBD Energy
Rescue the Future (call 0408 774 406 for solar panel installation)
NSW Golf Club
Random House Books
Mick Guthrie Art
Rockport
Lacoste
Ben Sherman
Speedo
Bardwell Valley Golf Club
T&G Flowers, Horsley Park
Tigerlily
WM McNeil
mu wellness & healing
Angelhair, Roseville (call 02 9880 8088)
Perfect Potion
Cellarmasters Wines
Oyster Bay Wines
Vintage Cellars, Abbotsford
Diageo
Beauty Visage, Abbotsford (call 02 9713 6500)
Harry's Toys, Rosebery
Kids Coupons
Bandit Tree Care Machinery
Beverly Baker
Cathie Harrison & Ros Meagher
Bowermans Office Furniture
Gary & Sue Sadler
Dana Clarke (call 02 9519 1811 for massage)
Jessica West
Sea's the Limit Aquatics
Sid Pohorille (call 0420 245 143 for professional horticulture)
Ben Egan
Trish Durlacher
Benn Robinson

Thank you.

My new favourite website

Or not, given the current forecast...

http://www.windguru.cz/int/index.php?sc=96593

Planning a swim in Dover next weekend and it might be a little gusty.

While I'm away

Here's some information on how to keep track of where I am:

http://www.ais-doverstraits.co.uk/

This is the link where you can follow the swim by GPS satellite tracker. Click on the link to Satellite 3 (Anastasia.) You'll all have a better idea of where I am than I will.

And I'm not sure what we've unleashed here but John has taken to this tweeting thing. Updates here whenever he gets a break between feeds:

http://twitter.com/swimfacilitator

Yikes - what swimming the Channel is all about....

Check out this footage from this past week in Dover....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9vEe1l_KYQ&feature=player_embedded

Looks like just getting in the water will be the major problem.

But it's not all over yet....

We still have our major auction item which has been listed on ebay:

1.5kW SOLAR GRIDCONNECT SYSTEM - fully installed in the Sydney Metro area.

If you've been thinking about installing solar panels this is a great time to do it. This is a top-quality German-made solar panel system with a 25 year warranty on the panels and a 10-year warranty on the inverter.

The value of this item is $6,000 but the system will have paid for itself in 3 years and after that it's all profit.

The auction finishes on ebay this Friday - 3 September - at 2.30pm. Please contact me if you have any questions about it but this is a fantastic package.

Thank you very much to CBD Energy (www.cbdenergy.com.au) for donating the system, and Rescue the Future (call 0408 774 406) for providing the installation.

Fun-draising Trivia Night been and gone....

And now I just have that little thing called a swim to do.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who came along last night, who gave to the cause, who generously donated prizes, who snapped up bargains at the silent auctions. I really hope everyone had an enjoyable night. I think I finally managed to enjoy myself at about midnight!

The final tally for the night.... drum roll.... $5,503.45. WOW! Brilliant.

I was utterly remiss in my 'thank yous' last night by omitting to mention the wonderful ladies who helped me pull it all together. So thank you to Bev, Alice, Katya, Georgina & Suzy who gave up their time and efforts to make it all happen.

Thank you also to Paddington RSL, and Reta & John at Trivia Magic.

The story of Inspire's Founder on Australian Story

Find out more about the story behind the organisation I've chosen to support.

Inspire’s founder JACK HEATH on Australian Story - Monday 30 August at 8.00pm on ABC1
Australian Story also airs online: www.abc.net.au/iview and Saturdays at 12.30pm on ABC1.

Driven by personal tragedy, Jack Heath abandoned his political ambitions, to confront a crisis affecting young lives.

Inspire's founder, Jack Heath, was a diplomat and key prime ministerial adviser. But the murder of a close friend, followed by the suicide of a young cousin, led to an emotional breaking point that forced him to confront his own repressed childhood troubles. Seeking a more meaningful life, Jack shocked his family and friends by turning his back on a promising political career to establish an innovative not-for-profit organisation that’s committed to supporting and inspiring young people, reducing youth suicide and eliminating the stigma of mental illness. This is the Inspire Foundation.

“When I look back, I’ve been through a lot of pretty traumatic times. I’ve faced demons. And in the course of that, I’ve stumbled upon what I feel now is my life purpose... helping young people face their demons and actually get to a better place.” - JACK HEATH

When Inspire’s flagship program ReachOut.com was established in 1997, Australia had one of the highest rates of youth suicide in the western world. Over the past decade, suicide among young Australians has declined significantly. This is the story of how Jack’s personal commitment to the cause helped contribute to this reversal – and his aim to replicate Australia’s success internationally.

Tune in to Australian Story on Monday night.