This colourful cubby not only fetched the handsome sum of $11,000 for charities Raw Potential and SEE-Change, it now brings joy to children at Karinya House. Photos: The Property Collective.
When Hannah Gill and Will Honey gathered their team for a brainstorming session to decide on their next community project, they didn’t know what they’d devise that day would result in charity thrice over.
Given they were the owners of The Property Collective, they settled on the fitting idea of building a cubbyhouse, which they would auction off at Floriade.
As Floriade sponsors, the proceeds of the cubby would go to the event’s two charity partners, Raw Potential and SEE-Change.
Local business Imperial Building Co stepped up to do the build at cost and beautiful 4 sqm cubby was erected at Floriade where it was enjoyed by children for the duration of the event.
After, The Property Collective’s business partners gathered for what turned out to be a lively auction.
Local businesses Collective Club, Goodwin Financial, Harrington Hall, LinkCP, Monarch, Monarch Building Services and Facilities Management, MV Law, Patorama Studios, Region Media and Terracon and The Property Collective all pledged $1000 towards the auction.
Will says the winning bid totalling $11,000 blew the team away.
“It certainly exceeded our expectations,” Will says.
“There was competitive bidding, which was great to see, and at the end, $11,000 was distributed directly to Raw Potential and SEE-Change.”
These were the first two charities to benefit from the cubby project. Will says nobody expected yet another wave of generosity.
“Monarch told us that they had the perfect charity partner of their own to donate the cubby to – Karinya House,” Will says.
“That was the cherry on top.”
Karinya House provides safety, shelter and a positive support network for women who are pregnant or parenting in Canberra and the surrounding region.
Karinya House finance and business manager Jo Saccasan says the donation was entirely unexpected but received with deep gratitude.
“Up to 11 women and their babies and sometimes their other young children are staying with us at any one time,” she says.
“The offer came out of the blue and at the time we happened to have 12 children on site. There was some excitement among the toddlers in residence when the cubby was installed.
“Home – and specifically, a safe home – is very important to everybody. So at Karinya House we strive to make our residential areas like a real home. That means our play areas are very important for the women and children who need our services.”
To install the cubby, Monarch first had to do some landscaping work and then hire a crane to lift it into place.
“It was quite a thing to witness, this large, colourful cubbyhouse being lowered into its place in one of our outdoor play areas,” Jo says.
“It was everything a home should be for these children – beautiful, bright, warm and welcoming.”
Will says though it may not be a cubby next time, he would love to see businesses coming together again to create a multiplier effect on their next charitable project.
“The cubby showed the impact businesses can have when they work as a collective,” he says.
“When you think of all the people that had to come together to see this play out the way it did, it shows we can achieve so much more together than on our own.”
Loading ...
