Following the unprecedented success of the 2017 Riviera and Belize Festival of Boating and the Gold Coast International Boat Show and Marine Expo, Show organisers have donated thousands of dollars to Queensland charity groups.
“The Gold Coast International Boat Show operates on a not-for-profit basis to provide a truly unique platform for the marine industry to connect with boating enthusiasts,” said Boat Show Event and Marketing Manager Emma Brown.
“We are delighted that the 2017 events saw a record attendance of more than 23,000 visitors and a record number of exhibitors. This has allowed us to give generously to local charity organisations, many of which we rely upon to help with the smooth running of these large scale events.”
During the recent ceremony to honour the charities at the Gold Coast City Marina and Shipyard, Mrs Brown presented cheques to representatives from the Rotary Club of Coomera River, Sailability Gold Coast, the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service and Ronald McDonald House South East Queensland.
“Teams from Rotary and Sailability kindly donate their time to undertake a wide range of tasks throughout our show,” said Mrs Brown.
“These volunteers are an invaluable component of the boat show and we couldn’t achcieve these levels of success without their generous help and support each year.
“The Rotary volunteers work hard throughout the three-day show on traffic control and parking and the Sailability team assists at our entry gates. Peter Board from Sailability also works throughout the weekend to operate the public address system, keeping our visitors informed of activities and any general announcements.
“We also support the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service and Ronald McDonald House South East Queensland in recognition of their extraordinary work to help the people of south-east Queensland every day of the year.”
Mrs Brown said that, over the past seven years, the Gold Coast International Boat Show has proudly donated $100,000 to charities.
