Weather jinx hits again

Lions Club of Lennox Head members Don Hurley (left), Dan Anderson and Bob Burnell cook sausages for local residents at a benefit barbecue and auction for the Tornado Appeal.

jerad williams

MORE than 150 Lennox Headresidents and visitors were all set to raise money for the tornado appeal yesterday.

But the weather, once again, had different ideas.

The community barbecue and fundraising auction at the fore-shore park started off well.

Members of the Lennox Head Lions Club cooked a sausage sizzle while representatives from the Chamber of Commerce organised last-minute donations for theauction.

Volunteers carried arounddonation tins and people happily dropped in their spare change, although many put in $20 and $50 notes.

But the rain clouds would not stay away.

Auctioneer Dick Osbourne tried his best to get through as many items as possible before the worst of the weather hit, but he barely managed to get halfway through the list.

“Sorry folks, but we'll have to take a break because we're about to get very wet,” he told the crowd.

Some of the items expected to fetch the highest bids – including five Lennox Head shopping sprees and a holiday package – will now be auctioned online.

Olivia Jones, 9, of Stewart Street in Lennox Head, had donated a surfboard signed by world champion surfer Mick Fanning.

“I've got lots of boards like this, so I thought I would donate one,” she said.

“It's for a good cause.

“Our house got hit by the tornado. It was like, ‘boom'. It was pretty scary.

“We lost about 100 tiles off the roof and we can't stay at home.”

Chamber of Commerce president Louise Owen, who helped organise the afternoon fundraiser, said she was disappointed that the event had to be cancelled.

“But we've raised about $40,000 so far,” she said.

To make a donation, visit www.lennoxchamber.com.au