CLRS annual dinner raises $83,000

By Lua Ikenasio

Mar 20, 2025

Community Living and Respite Services chief executive Leah Taaffe, guest speaker Curtis McGrath and Community Living and Respite Services president Claire Goodman. Photos: Supplied.

Community Living and Respite Services raised more than $83,000 at its 17th annual fundraising dinner on Thursday, February 27.

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The event saw community members gather at the Moama Bowling Club to enjoy dinner and a raffle with great prizes.

CLRS chief executive Leah Taaffe said the event had raised an impressive amount over the years.

“This year, thanks to the support of many businesses and individuals, we are delighted to share that we raised $83,197,” she said.

“Our annual dinners have now raised more than $1 million across the 17 years they have been occurring.

“We are very grateful to the group of people who held the first fundraising dinner in 2007.”

Curtis McGrath was the guest speaker on the night. Photo by Supplied

The night’s guest speaker was Paralympian Curtis McGrath, who shared his inspirational story about working in the Australian Army and becoming a gold medallist.

CLRS also shared a video about the out-of-home care services it provides for children in our community.

The video tells the story of how CLRS supports children and young people in the care of the state.

An auction was also a major highlight of the night, with prizes including a trip to Ramada Hotel Ballina, Tefal garment steamer, a fantastic mattress and base, fabulous art and a new solar system.

Ten lucky winners also won raffle prizes, including a set of tyres, pot and pizza classes at Beldari Pottery Studio and a $200 fuel voucher.

Local woman Di Leech won the top prize of the night, a $3000 travel voucher.

$3000 travel voucher winner Di Leech and Moama Bowling Club’s George Santos. Photo by Supplied

Mrs Taaffe said all funds from the event would go towards supporting CLRS’s Open Doors project.

“In the second half of this year, we will begin planning for our next project and are looking at several options locally,” she said.

“One of these is the hope that one of our local developers might donate a block of land to help us get the next project up and running.”

The Open Doors Project aims to provide housing solutions for CLRS clients that wish to experience living independently.

Since the project’s inception in 2014, CLRS has built three homes and 12 units for 22 people with disability.

Belinda Byford and Kathy Kostoglou pose aside one of the auction items, *Renegade* by Pete Conroy. Photo by Supplied

The event was made possible with the support of Ace Radio/2QN and EdgeFM, AWM Echuca, Complete Scissor Lift Hire, Echuca Betta Home Living, Echuca Carpet Court, Echuca Toyota, Forty Winks Echuca, Green Pedal Cycles, Mawsons Concrete and Quarries, Murray River Council, Riverine Herald and Riverboats Music Festival.

A total of 108 other local businesses also provided support for the event.

Mrs Taaffe said the CLRS team members were grateful for all the community support they received.

“Our community enables us to deliver support to people so they can choose the life they want to live,” she said.

The next major event for the organisation is Run Echuca Moama, which will take place on Sunday, August 3.