Owners of Sydney Junction Hotel, the Gunyah and Argenton Hotel, Campbell and Clare Rogers raise more than $100,000 for charity organisations
Local hoteliers Campbell and Clare Rogers certainly don’t hold back when it comes to setting goals.
While the couple, who own the Sydney Junction Hotel, Argenton Hotel and Gunyah Hotel, managed to raise close to $100,000 for a variety of Hunter-based charity organisations last year, they are definitely not prepared to rest on their laurels in 2018.
In fact, according to Campbell, this year the couple have set themselves a goal of raising more than $150,000 for various charity organisations.
“We felt we had a corporate social responsibility to give back to the Hunter Region and that’s really how our Local Legends program came about,” Campbell said.
“On Friday and Saturday nights we experience huge lines to the venue due to our free entry and positive, friendly environment.
“By offering a 'Skip-the-line' option that allows patrons to donate $20 to a fundraising campaign and head straight into the venue via express entry, we have created the best of both worlds and 100 per cent of that money goes directly to the nominated charity organisation.”
The Local Legends program works by inviting a local charity organisation to become a ‘Skip-the-line’ beneficiary for a period of four weeks.
In 2017 some of the organisations to benefit from the Local Legends program included the Cancer Council, Dog Rescue Newcastle, Tubes 4 Boobs, Mayfield Soccer Club, Variety – the Children’s Charity, OzHarvest and The Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children.
Campbell said he and Clare also recognised that Christmas can be a tough time and in December last year the couple increased their fundraising to include a Christmas tree at each venue.
The tree encouraged patrons to make a donation by purchasing a Christmas tag and hanging it on the tree.
The initiative resulted in donations being made to John Hunter Children's Hospital, Camp Quality and continued their support of Variety - the Children’s Charity.
“Since we introduced the Local Legends initiative the response to it has been overwhelming,” Campbell said.
“Patrons have participated willingly in the initiative and every organisation has successfully raised above-expected targets.
“The initiative has changed the way patrons go out about their nights out. From the moment they arrive at the Sydney Junction Hotel they have a changed perception of how the hotel operates. Their own social awareness is reinforced as they engage and communicate with the fundraisers and learn about organisations in the Hunter that they may not have known about and which desperately need their support.’’
As part of their 2018 fundraising campaign, Campbell and Clare plan to continue their support of various charity groups as well as sponsor additional local sporting teams.