P-I-N-K: Village People crash UOW’s pinkest breakfast yet

Extravagant pink themed costumes filled the University Hall this morning, where around 500 clowns, cowboys, scientists, boxers, cricketers and even Get Physical dancers attended the UOW Pink Breakfast.

But the star performance was from male members of the senior executive, with their comical version of the Village People.

John ‘the bikie’ Patterson, Damien ‘the soldier’ Israel, John ‘the policeman’ Steele, Bruce ‘the construction worker’ Flint, Aden ‘the Indian chief’ Steinke, and David ‘the disco dancer’ Christie –– dressed as members of the famous group and sang P-I-N-K to the tune of YMCA. Each Village person was then auctioned off as a ‘slave for the day’, raising a total of around $2250.

Organiser and guest speaker Jessica Lopez said that the Village People stunt was a great surprise.

“It really touches me how people get so involved and creative for the breakfast – I always end up on a high afterwards,” she said.

The breakfast aimed to raise $20,000, and organiser Lynne Wright said that although final calculations were still being made, the total was close to the $20,000 mark. This donation will go towards the overall campaign to raise breast cancer awareness and help fund research.

Other major auction prizes were a quilt which went for $850 – and boxing gloves signed by Anthony Mundine and Danny Green – which went to the Faculty of Education. Dean of Education Paul Chandler dressed as a boxer to match his Faculty’s prize.

ITC was recognised for having the most attendees, with around 60 ITC staff attending the breakfast, and Academic Registrar’s Division staff members, who dressed as a pink themed circus, won the best-dressed prize.

Guest speakers at the breakfast were Margaret Wright from the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), breast cancer survivor Jessica Lopez, and cancer carer Violeta Trajcevska.

Ms Lopez, who has spoken at previous pink breakfast events, said that she enjoyed telling her breast cancer survival story, but found it an emotional experience.

“It’s such an emotional topic – but it’s good to share my story. When I tell it I know it will affect people because it is such an intense experience,” she said.

“I enjoy sharing story because I hope it brings people hope.”

Margaret Wright, from the National Breast Cancer Foundation, is also a breast cancer survivor. Ms Wright was the first female partner at KPMG, a NSW Finalist in the Telstra Businesswoman of the Year and the first female Member of the Auditing Standards Board in Australia. At the request of her surgeon, Ms Wright developed a website called Breasthealth which is regarded as one of the best websites on breast cancer topics.

Supporters of this year’s pink breakfast were:

  • Medina Executive, Wollongong
  • Rydges, Wollongong
  • Novotel, Wollongong
  • Leisure Coast Limousines
  • Wollongong Tourism
  • No Wet Car Clean
  • UOW Faculty of Education
  • Weerona College
  • Greater Union, Wollongong
  • Hoyts, Warrawong
  • Travelscene, Wollongong
  • Wollongong Hawks
  • Tramps, Wollongong
  • UOW Library
  • Sharon Robinson
  • Jon Wright
  • sixtyseven Dining
  • U-Brew-It
  • Exercise Science and Rehabilitation Centre
  • National Breast Cancer Foundation
  • Scrags on the Beach, Thirroul
  • UOW’s Graduate School of Business
Last reviewed: 15 October, 2008