Avocans Come Together for Sold-Out Trivia Night, Raising Nearly $7,000 for Kincumber Food Pantry
Quiz Master Ian Hutchinson in action (Photo: David Benson)
On Friday 18 July, the Avoca Beach Surf Lifesaving Club was buzzing with laughter, friendly competition, and generous community spirit as more than 150 locals came together for the Avoca Beach Community Association (ABCA) Trivia Fundraising Night, an evening that raised $6,799.77 for the chosen local charity, Kincumber Food Pantry.
Tickets for the event sold out a full week in advance, demonstrating the strong support and enthusiasm for this community-led initiative. Apologies to those of you who were not able to get a ticket in time! Remember to book early next year (yes, we’re already thinking about our next event!)
The night was expertly steered by MC Caitlin Unger, with Quiz Master Ian Hutchinson keeping minds sharp and the questions flowing. Aliyah Beckwith told us about the work of the Kincumber Neighbourhood Centre and helped us understand the challenges some people in our community face. Photographer David Benson captured the fun, camaraderie, and occasional head-scratching moments throughout the evening.
The competition was fierce but good-humoured across the 22 teams, which sported some creative team names including Quizlamic State, The Fiths, Harem Scarum,The Sharks, and Three Wise Kings Plus One. After all the questions were answered, the top three teams were: Brainstrust 1, Gumnuts 1, and Brainstrust 2. Why the numbers after these team names, you may wonder. Well, some of the teams had so many members they had to be split into two, smaller teams to keep the competition fair.
The night was a celebration of community generosity. A staggering 39 local businesses and individuals stepped up as sponsors, contributing raffle prizes, silent auction prizes, vouchers, and in-kind donations. Every contributor is listed at the end of this article and we ask everyone to remember their generosity when out and about in the community.
Local photographer David Benson generously donated two beautiful images to the silent auction (Photo: David Benson)
The support of local member Adam Crouch and Councillor Jared Wright further amplified the night’s success.
A lucky raffle winner receiving her prize (Photo: David Benson)
Special thanks go to the Avoca Beach Surf Lifesaving Club for not only hosting the event but for their ongoing support of ABCA initiatives over the years. The club provided great food, a fantastic atmosphere and beautiful coastal backdrop for what turned out to be one of the most memorable events in the ABCA calendar.
The funds raised will go directly to the Kincumber Food Pantry, which provides essential food and household supplies to local families doing it tough. In a time of rising living costs and increasing need, the generosity of our community makes a real and lasting difference.
This unforgettable night showed what’s possible when a community comes together with a shared goal: to have fun and support those in need. Congratulations to the winning teams and a heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended, donated, volunteered, or sponsored.
The ABCA committee is grateful to Wendy Coggins and Tina King-Garde for working so hard to make this event such a success. The committee is already thinking ahead to next year’s Trivia Night so get your team names ready and your trivia hats on!
A huge thank you to all the local businesses that generously supported this event (in alphabetical order):
All Malay, Avoca Beach Architectural Hardware and Locksmiths, Avoca Beach Butchery, Avoca Beach House, Avoca Beach Pharmacy, Avoca Beach Pizza & Pasta Cafe, Avoca Beach Seafoods, Avoca Beach Surf Club, Avoca Beach Theatre, Avoca's Hair Affair, Becker and Co, Bendigo Bank, Burbank House and Garden Erina Heights, BWS, Caleah & Co, Celtic Celebrations, Chopstix, Dan Murphy's Erina, David Benson Photographer, Distillery Botanica, Endota Spa, Terrigal, Flora Folia Studio, Franc Hair Artistry, George's Fruit Barn, John Ralph's Camera House, Ken Duncan Gallery, Kincumber Sand and Soil, McGrath Real Estate, Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch, Michael Scobie, Mitre 10, Mousehole, Renae Blackmore Pilates Studio, Rocksalt Interiors, SALT Fitness Kincumber, Social Junction Cafe, Stone RE Avoca and Terrigal, The Point Cafe, Weekends Store