Date: Saturday, 22nd July 2000
Place: Casa Bella (Sicilian cuisine), 172 Victoria Ave, Chatswood, and coffees down the road at The Phantom Café
Guest Speaker: Rod Cavalier, former NSW Minister for Education (ALP)
"Jan and I really enjoyed ourselves and we cannot think of another dinner where we have met so many nice people and had such a wonderful time. We are really looking forward to the next dinner. Looking forward to seeing you all again."
Ralph and Jan Farrugia
"Thanks Richard, Tony and Bryan. A great night - and the goodies were fantastic. Thanks also to Antonio, Glenn and Rene (acute, grave or circumflex - to hell with it, I don't know how to do it anyway); the memorabilia gets better and better. Plus thanks to Doc and all responsible for video/CD - a real collector's item. Regards to all & see yuz all (that can make it) next time."
Simon Turnbull
"Fantastic night. Thanks to those whose time and effort went into arranging the whole thing. Three cheers to everyone."
Travis Ecclestone
"Dear Richard, Tony and Bryan. I know a lot a people contributed to make it a wonderful evening. Through you, please let them all hear: Congratulations! A very well done job! It was fun, and it was an opportunity to see all those Phantom fans again and to share and create new friendships. It was also a great opportunity to contribute to a worthy cause. I even got a new job! (another cover). Have your very well deserved rest now... until next time."
Antonio and Amanda Lemos
The wonderful thing that is emerging from these Dinners is that while they provide an opportunity for regular Members to meet and socialise there is always a sprinkling of new blood in a different venue to stimulate the conversation and prevent a repetition of the Dinner before.
This Dinner was fun!
Thanks to Tony Di Dio for finding such an excellent restaurant and such a pleasant, erudite and interesting guest speaker.
Thanks to Antonio Lemos for providing two spectacular works of art. And thanks to him and Amanda and their friend Carmen for a beautifully timed classical late arrival. Damn attention seekers!
Thanks to René White for his generosity of spirit in providing EVERYONE in the club whether here in Australia or abroad in the uncivilised reaches of Sweden, Brazil, North America and Italy with the 1999 Phantom Calendar from The Phantom's Vault.
Thanks to Glenn Ford and Doc Neeson for signing their names 100 plus times!
Thanks to Berin Denham for helping Richard zap around Sydney in the midnight hours collecting stuff and putting it in the Goody Bags. Thanks also to Berin for carrying out the arduous task of recording 50 copies each of the Video and CD of Doc Neeson's "Ballad of the Phantom." Berin, you deserved to be Guardian of Antonio's Tribute and no one begrudges you winning Dietmar's second print in the Raffle (much!).
Thanks to Dietmar for donating the Second Print.
Thanks to Bryan and Fiona Shedden for coming early and helping set up all the Artworks.
Thanks to Stuart O'Connor for all the Certificates, especially the ones for our Scandinavian Chapter Members.
Thanks to Richard Lindner for the dozen bottles from Langmeil Winery donated as Lucky Door Prizes, and thanks for flying all the way from the Barossa Valley to be with us.
Thanks to Jim Shepherd and René White for going head to head in the auction for Antonio's tribute. Auctioneer Tony Di Dio toyed with these two Phantomaniacs and managed to squeeze $450 out of Jim for the Children's Hospital. With the raffle money added we managed to raise around $800. This aspect of our activities has become a large part of our Raison d'Être and the generosity and enthusiasm of all our Members was evident as they gleefully reached into their deep, deep wallets.
Special thanks to Jim and Judith Shepherd for their continued support for our happy band.
Thanks to Rod Cavalier for a fascinating insight into why we adults love our comics and fantasies. We can now proudly justify our literary idiosyncrasies to the world of doubters and cynics.
Thanks to Tony for Coffee for all at the Phantom Café.
A jolly good night indeed!