Life is full of connections, whether it is somebody knowing somebody that knows someone you know or incidents and events that are all individual but are connected in some way.

A few weeks ago I was asked to be an MC at an event in Nambour that was being organised by an old legend of the town, Ray Grace.

At the time I agreed to do it but didn’t really have much detail but was happy to help in what little way I could.

As the time got nearer I still hadn’t heard much about it apart from the fact that it was a cancer fundraiser.

Unbelievably, in the week leading up to the event, I knew three people that all sadly passed away from cancer.

John Currey, Warren Bennett and Mick Reed, all great guys, and all were far too young to be leaving this world.

So by the time I got the details for the function to be held on Saturday night I was prepared for anything, or at least I thought I was.

Imagine Nambour Showgrounds on a Saturday night in the middle of winter. But it was for cancer, in fact the Cittamani

Hospice and the Cindy MacKenzie Breast Cancer Foundation.
Anyone just has to say breast cancer support group to me and I am on side. As I have written in the past, my dear mother was diagnosed with it more than 40 years ago and God bless her and the medical staff that helped her, she is still with us today. So a bit of cold weather wasn’t going to worry me.

As it turned out it didn’t worry anybody else either because there were more than 1000 people to celebrate Christmas in July, put together by the Palmwoods and Woombye Community Groups, with all proceeds going to the two charities.

Now I have to tell you, Ray Grace is no spring chicken and has had some health problems himself, but there he was, leading from the front working his bum off to try and do something for the community.

With all due respect to everyone concerned, including the paying customers, there were a couple of hitches.

Of particular concern was the camp oven cooked food which was quite late being served with the caterer blaming the pumpkin soup not being ready, which backed everything else up.

It was like, “Soup, my kingdom for cooked soup” as Rome burned.

Personally, I was quite sad to see everyone’s hard work put in jeopardy because of something so simple.

But even more distressing were some comments about what unfolded from people who should know better.

In my mind it was unfortunate and I felt sorry for the people who worked so hard to make things happen and also for the families who had to wait to be fed.

But, in reality, most of us were gathered there for the right reasons.
Even though it was largely unrelated, I couldn’t help thinking about the families of the three people who had passed away during that week and guessed that the quality of life of their loved ones is far more critical than whether or not the soup arrives on time.

Secondly, I am sure they would congratulate the people who tried to make a difference or the ones who paid money in good faith to support the organisers and the charities.

The world is full of people who sit on the fence and make comment about how things should be done.

Luckily, the Sunshine Coast has its fair share of people who either put their hands in their pockets to help or get their hands dirty by having a go.

What the two committees took on last weekend was a huge task and they have my utmost admiration for making the effort, as do the people who attended.

I got a lot out of the night. Every time I have pumpkin soup I am going to think about those three good blokes and the next time things don’t quite go according to plan it will remind me of what my priorities in life really should be.