The Gay Auckland Business Association has handed over a cheque for a whopping $18,500, which it raised through its 25th Jubilee and Charity Auction.
The money, which is a significant increase from the $11,430 raised at the last auction, will be funnelled back into the community by the GABA Charitable Trust.
Trust Chair Gresham Bradley accepted the cheque at a meeting at Dot's Bar last night and immediately expressed thanks to the GABA executive and all those who helped out by donating items.
"I guess it was a big risk changing the time of year, changing the format, in fact we changed everything, really everything, except the fact that it was an auction."
Bradley says it was clearly successful and the challenge for the trust is to now distribute the funds to community organisations, which are in need of support.
Last year's recipients were the NZ AIDS Memorial Quilt Project, GALS, the Auckland Women's Centre, the Gender Resource Centre, GenderBridge, documentary-maker Susan Potter, the Charlotte Museum, Body Positive and OUTLine. It also awarded scholarships to two outstanding GLBT students.
