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Chamber News 2010 Cherry Auction
December 3 2010
There was great excitement in the air at the 19th Market City Charity Cherry Auction. An exceptional price of $30,400 was paid for a 1kg box of the season's first plump and juicy cherries by new Cherry King Tony Ales of Tony Ale Fresh Market, Jandakot. A phenomenal $69,720 was raised in total by generous industry bidders for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation to assist purchase of vital patient monitoring equipment. Traditionally held on the first Friday in December at Market City, Canning Vale, the auction raises funds by celebrating the start of the WA-grown cherry season, with bidders staking their claim on eight 1kg boxes of the freshest local cherries. Channel 10 personality, Neralda Jacobs escorted the cherries into the market amidst a fanfare from cheer leaders and a marching band. Industry identity Tony Ale fought off stiff competition from previous Cherry Kings for the final box to emerge victorious for the final box,marking the 16th consecutive year that Tony has given generously to the worthy cause. "It's a wonderful cause to be helping and I like to give back to the community after 40 years as a fresh produce retailer." said Ale Other successful bidders included Richard Bloomfield (Key Produce, Market City Canning Vale), Than Quoc Tran (TR & TR Growers Direct, Wanneroo), Basil Gotsis (Fresh Provisions, Mt Lawley), Arthur Psaltis (Combined Growers, Victoria Park), Shane Patching (S.J. Fresh, Market City, Canning Vale), Rodney Dullard (Chantec, Market City, Canning Vale) and Sang Nguyen (Fresh Stop Market, Yokine). Over $543,000 in total has been raised for the kids at the Princess Margaret Hospital since the auction's inception in 1992, helping to purchase an array of essential equipment and services. "We are absolutely thrilled at the amount raised at the Cherry Auction for Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation this year" said Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation Communication and Grants Manager, Les Faulds. Chamber of Fruit and Vegetable Industries CEO, Martin Clark said Market City's fresh produce industry is renowned for their generosity to a good cause and he was excited at the prospect of WA once again leading the nation in the per kilo Cherry Charity stakes. The eight boxes of cherries auctioned were kindly donated by the Cherry Growers' Association of WA and were auctioned by Jim Reagan, ably assisted by Richard Bloomfield. Toyota Material Handling looked after any hunger pangs with a sizzling breakfast spread, with all proceeds going to the worthy cause. This special event is made possible with the continued support of the Chamber of Fruit & Vegetable Industries in WA, the Perth Market Authority, Toyota Material Handling and the Cherry Growers'Association of WA. |