The French river cruise prize package is sold for $29,000 to top bidder Dennis Walsh and Cathie Waites at Rotorua's Supper Club charity fundraiser.
Before Dennis Walsh and Cathie Waites went along to the Supper Club charity fundraiser in Rotorua last night, little did they know they’d end up spending $29,000.
But the community-minded couple didn’t mind finding themselves toing and froing with another bidder for the top auction prize.
The crowd at Supper Club 2025. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Before they knew it, the hammer went down and the eight-day luxury French river cruise package was all theirs.
Their bid has helped the organisers of the annual Supper Club event raise more than $130,000 for the upkeep of Ronald McDonald Family Retreats in Rotorua.
The two retreats, on the shores of Lake Rotorua at Ngongotahā, are offered to those who have either lost a child or have had a very sick child and have come into the care of Ronald McDonald House in Auckland.
About Supper Club
Supper Club is in its 15th year and raises money through a silent and live auction held at the Novotel Lakeside Rotorua.
A total of 54 tables of eight people are pre-sold and a live draw is done at the Novotel event to match the tables with the restaurants, cafes, resorts, lodges, and special venues that have donated the meals.
Tonight was the 15th time the fundraising event has been held and, for the first time this year, it was being run without its founders, former McDonald’s Rotorua owners Linley and Rob Parry.
The Parrys sold their three Rotorua McDonald’s restaurants last year and moved to Hamilton, but the couple were present tonight in support of the new organisers. A special presentation was made to the Parrys on behalf of Rotorua.
The Supper Club 2025 team are (from left) Reuel Christiansen, Zhen Christiansen, Arsh Kaur, Deborah Kay, Robyn Hall, Luke Nuttall, Melissa Nuttall and Joanne Keefe. Photo / Kelly Makiha
This year’s committee includes new McDonald’s owners Melissa and Luke Nuttall from McDonald’s Fenton St, and Reuel and Zhen Christiansen from McDonald’s Te Ngae and Fairy Springs. They have been joined by fellow volunteers Robyn Hall, Arsh Kaur, Joanne Keefe, Craig Elliott and Tammee Wilson.
Top prize
The overseas holiday donated by helloworld Rotorua Travel and Avalon Waterways was valued at more than $25,000.
The river cruise includes all meals and drinks, a daily shore excursion and $5000 towards flights booked via helloworld Travel Rotorua.
Deborah Kay, who owns helloworld Travel Rotorua, said tonight she was thrilled to have donated the top prize for more than 10 years.
Waites and Walsh told the Rotorua Daily Post moments after winning the auction they were more than happy to donate to such a great cause.
Walsh was the former Rotorua Regency Park Estate managing director and Waites formerly ran health food stores in Rotorua. Both still give their time to community initiatives - Walsh has been a trustee of Parksyde Community Centre since it started and Waites is involved with a local Parkinson’s organisation.
Waites said she had no idea Walsh was going to bid on the trip but Walsh admitted he had eyed the prize before the night started.
“We love travelling and we travel through Deb at helloworld all the time, they are just fantastic.”
Why donate
Part of the pre-dinner event at the Novotel included hearing from a Rotorua family who had spent the past year in and out of Ronald McDonald House in Auckland.
Sharene Hooper told the crowd about her son Te Waarakihi Felise Hooper’s, condition which is seeing them in a race against time to find a bone marrow match.
Sharene Hooper from Rotorua reminds the crown why they are donating to Ronald McDonald Charities. Photo / Kelly Makiha
He was responding well to treatment at the moment but the family had been through an ordeal and they were not out of the woods yet.
She said they had spent 129 nights, or about four months, living at Ronald McDonald House in Auckland.
“Your support has made this unbearable time a little more bearable.”
McDonald’s Fenton St owner Melissa Nuttall said the organising committee wanted to thank everyone who contributed generously to their first Supper Club.
“We are proud to be part of such an amazing community.”
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.
