Smart Sparks Ball to Raise Funds for ICT Scholarships
Thursday 25 September 2003 - The ICT industry will kick up its heels for a good cause when the ACS Foundation hosts the second annual Smart Sparks Ball to raise funds for ICT scholarships on Saturday 25th October.
With the theme of Fright Night, due to its proximity to Halloween, the 2003 Smart Sparks Ball is expected to attract a capacity crowd of 500 people to Sydney's Wentworth Hotel to dine, dance and spend up big on auction items ranging from Lexus cars to overseas holidays.
The industry's leading provider of scholarships and research funding, the ACS Foundation hopes to raise up to $100,000 as industry supporters don their glad rags to party after a difficult year.
"The Smart Sparks Ball is the perfect opportunity for ICT people to enjoy a great night out while giving something back to the industry that employs them," said John Ridge, ACS Foundation Board Chair.
"In addition to first-class entertainment from some of Australia's rising young stars and an impressive array of auction items on which to bid, the Ball represents an excellent opportunity for networking and developing industry contacts," he said.
"For those companies entertaining visiting executives for the Rugby World Cup, the Smart Sparks Ball will make an ideal social event in-between games," he said.
While last year's Ball employed a French theme, this year's event has been tagged "Fright Night" with Halloween-style decorations and guests encouraged to dress up for the occasion.
Talented singers and dancers from Out There Productions will provide cabaret-style entertainment during the meal, interspersed with witty asides from well-known comedian, John Reid.
The Foundation has attracted the support of sponsors such as the ACS, Alt-U, Compuware, InterSystems Australia and Sony Music. An impressive range of items is available for auction on the night, including:
Building on the success of the inaugural Ball last year, organisers already have commitments for nearly 40 tables of 10 and are confident of selling all 50 tables. To make the event more accessible for all ICT professionals, the Foundation is offering special deals for groups of friends or co-workers who join forces to put together a table of individuals.
"Our young people are the future of our industry and deserve the support and encouragement of those of us who have built our success on technology," said Mr Ridge.
"We're really encouraging people within the ICT industry to get behind this event and make it an outstanding success."
This media release is available on the ACS Web site at http://www.acs.org.au/news/250903.htm
ENDS
About the Australian Computer Society: The ACS is the recognised association for information technology (IT) professionals, attracting a large and active membership from all levels of the IT industry and providing a wide range of services to its 16,000+ members. A member of the Australian Council of Professions, the ACS is the public voice of the IT profession and the guardian of professional ethics and standards in the IT industry, with a commitment to the wider community to ensure the beneficial use of IT. See the ACS Home Page for more information.
Media Enquiries:
John Ridge, ACS Foundation Board Chair, Tel: (0407) 913 992, Email: jridge@acslink.net.au
Peter Rose, ACS Foundation Executive Director, Tel: (0405) 198 404, Email: peter.rose@acsfoundation.com.au
Caroline New, ACS PR Consultant, Tel: (02) 9555 1986 or (0411) 889 456, Email: cnew@acslink.net.au
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