Mount Gambier Electorate

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (15:34): The 10^th anniversary of Swinging with the Stars was celebrated on 24 June, with over 580 people attending The Barn Palais to enjoy a night of dancing. Swinging with the Stars raises money for the Stand Like Stone Foundation. This year $123,000 was raised by the eight contestants alone, and the total effort was $140,000 which was raised throughout the night and event.

Contestants this year came from all over the Limestone Coast and include Amanda Flint, a mother of three, who represented the Penola and Coonawarra communities; Peter Zeitz, a White Ribbon Ambassador, former police officer and A-grade player and coach at West Gambier Football Club; Nicole Hocking, a keen netballer from Lucindale; Grant Fenson, a Port MacDonnell ex-football larrikin and Kingsley Country Fire Service group officer; Beck Laurenson, owner of To Go Sandwich and Expresso Bar in Commercial Street, Mount Gambier; Christian Cella, a building designer and draftsman who is also Inter Soccer Club A-grade captain; Samara Greer, a Mount Gambier High School teacher; and Jack Kelly, the Robe Football Club A-grade coach.

The contestants performed swing, waltz, tango and hip-hop routines on the night. Amanda Flint, together with her partner Jordan Brennan, were crowned the best dancers on the evening. Grant Fenson was awarded the people's choice and is to be commended for raising $44,788 for the foundation. Grant was supported by his wife, Emma, and the Port MacDonnell community in raising such a significant amount for the foundation. Kim Cella from Hype Dance Studio choreographed the dance routines and also trained all the contestants. Kim was assisted by Alex Williams and students from her studio.

Over the last 10 years, only 80 local stars from the Limestone Coast have raised over $525,000 for the Stand Like Stone Foundation. Past winners include the inaugural winner, Lynnette Martin, the Mount Gambier of Commerce president and owner of Chapmans Newsagency; George Haskas from Carlin & Gazzard; schoolteacher Lisa McCormick; Lucindale's Peter Stock; Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival president, Rhett McDonald; Mount Gambier High School teacher Tom Hart; Naracoorte builder and avid hockey player, Derek James, who is also the Liberal candidate for the seat of MacKillop, so well done, Derek, for putting your hand up; George the Farmer co-creator and singer extraordinaire, Ben Hood; and Mount Gambier High School teacher Steven Speck.

Events like these are not possible without the support of businesses and organisations throughout the Limestone Coast region, which have all been generous with their support. Stand Like Stone holds over $3 million in trust for the region and, since its establishment in 2004, has distributed just under $1 million to charitable projects, school students and educational scholarships benefitting Limestone Coast communities.

Sue Charlton AM was the inaugural chairperson of Stand Like Stone and held this position for over 10 years. Sue remains involved with the Stand Like Stone Foundation and is a member of the Swinging with the Stars organising committee. Sue remains a patron of the foundation. Donations to the Stand Like Stone Foundation are pooled and invested. The income generated from this investment is used over time to support charitable projects and organisations and to give to educational scholarships, whilst holding the principal in trust.

I would like to thank the current chairman of Stand Like Stone, a good friend of mine, Bill deGaris, for extending an invitation to myself for the evening. As Adam Lindsay Gordon wrote:

Life is mostly froth and bubble,

Two things stand like stone.

Kindness in another's trouble,

Courage in your own.