It might have been a celebration for the clients but staff and care workers from Waikato-King Country disability organisation Enrich Plus had a ball too.
Te Awamutu client Maddison Gay, pictured shortly after the announcement, was a stand out winner of the Queen of the Ball. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
The second Client Celebration Ball was held on Friday night in the Cambridge Town Hall and the theme Prince and Princess gave plenty of scope for creativity.
More than 200 clients from Te Awamutu, Cambridge, Hamilton, Tauranga and Ōtorohanga bopped to the beat of DJ Spin Daniel Cox in costumes which must have tested the stock in various Op Shops around the region.
The big announcement of the night was for King and Queen of the Ball. It was a close thing for the men – Zane Johnson won but had left by the time the announcement was made.
Huge cheers erupted when Maddison Gay won the Queen of the Ball. Her family, including mother Tracey Gay, had excelled themselves creating a carriage – complete with two horses – built around her wheelchair for their princess.
Dressed for the ball are Te Awamutu siblings Elizabeth, Kathleen and Ben Bayer. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Ian Cotterell was there too – he is an original client from the 1990s when Enrich Plus, then known as Gracelands Community Trust – was founded following the closure of Tokanui.
Team leader Ngawai Hamblin said the night was a huge success and very well received by clients, whānau and Enrich Plus staff.
“Everyone had such a great time and the venue was perfect for the theme,” she said.
Interim chief executive Janne Nottage thanked staff for their contributions saying they not only supported the clients by dressing up but their “creativity and enthusiasm made this event a huge success.”
Claire Van der Goes, centre, who went on to win one of the Best Dressed awards, arrived with a heavily disguised Supported Independent Living care worker Iain McDonald watched on by Enrich Plus’ Sarah Lawson. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Awards were given to:
King and Queen of the ball: Zane Johnson and Maddison Gay; best dressed: Leanne Cummins, Bruce Corin, Claire Van der Goes, Naomi Bertrand. Best dancers: William Pett, Matthew Shirley, Luisa Paletua, Abshir Khalif, Peter Crawford. Best dressed staff members: Jo and Tim Barclay, Patrick and Julie McLennan, Deannah Potaka, Kim Potroz.
Jason Roberts, in the wheelchair, had a ball with Eru Roberts. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Kim Potroz won one of the best dressed staff awards and catches up with Enrich Plus client Helen Colville. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Say cheese: One of the biggest attractions of the night was the mirror photo booth. Seen posing were, from left, back: Hayley Watters, Leanne Cummins, Renee Rapson and front: Ngawai Hamblin, Julie Tate, Allannah Walford. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Enrich+ client Willy Bardoul with Jo Barclay. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
DJ Spin – Daniel Cox. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Stoli Fradelakis and Raymond Witherspoon. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Patrick and Julie McLennan of Waitomo at the Enrich+ ball. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Margaret Roberts, right, with her team of caterers from Te Kuiti.
Enrich + Ball supper. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Enrich Plus team manager Ngawai Hamblin, of Cambridge left, with client Ian Cotterell – who has been with the organisation since it began as Gracelands in 1990 – on the steps of the Town Hall. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Greeters from Enrich Plus were on hand to greet guests at the Cambridge Town Hall, from left Mercan Kazankiran, Janet Steffert, Jo Barclay, Ellen Beetson, Rebecca Baldwin, Allannah Walford, Sarah Lawson. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Maddison Gay was Queen of the Ball pictured centre with her mother Tracey and Enrich interim chief executive Janne Nottage. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
