Main funding purpose: Equipment, programs and research

The story so far

In 1938, at the request of two members at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, who were doctors at the RCH, a group of wives of members established the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club Auxiliary to fundraise for the RCH.

For over 80 years, fundraising events have been held at Kooyong to support the hospital. In the early days these varied from dinner dances and jazz evenings to fashion parades and lunches. The Auxiliary now hosts five annual functions; the main one being the Ladies’ Grass Court Tennis Tournament, which first started in 1962 and has 300 attendees annually. Members also host two card days, a Christmas in July lunch and a trivia evening.

Since inception the Auxiliary has donated over $800,000 to support, fund and subsidise many RCH research programs and grant requests.

The Auxiliary has nine members recognised as Living Treasures, four of whom serve on the committee today. Long service is common for the Auxiliary, and two past Presidents, Marie Devereux and Carmel Quinn have received their 35 year service badges.

2023/2024 Auxiliary Report

We had a successful year of fundraising. Our Ladies Doubles Grass Tournament in March was fully subscribed with 312 players from across Victoria and raised over $20,000, while the two duplicate bridge and social bridge days raised a total of $8,380.75.

Our spectacular Winter Wonderland Lunch raised almost $12,000. Guest speakers were Jason Richardson, who is a Stawell Gift winner and media personality and Tamsyn Lewis Manou, a media personality with 18 track titles, including winning the 800M at the 2008 World Indoor Championships.

Sincere thanks to Ash Barty who donated a framed top for auctioning from her 2019 win in the French Open. Also in the auction was a tennis ball, donated by the All England Lawn Tennis Club, from the 2023 Wimbledon Men’s Singles Championship Final, signed by Carlos Alcaraz which raised $15,000.

Jenny Booth, Past President and Treasurer, was inaugurated as a Living Treasure – the 10th in our Auxiliary’s 85 year history.

Office bearers

President: Lyn Wheat
Secretary: Patty Wallace-Smith
Treasurer: Jenny Booth

Contact

Jenny Booth

Email
[email protected]

Phone
0413 879 001