By Boyd Robertson

A charity ball this Friday will raise money for a bus for disabled people in Mossman, in addition to contributing ideas for the Sugar Festival next year.

The Sugar Festival Gala Ball will be held in the Mossman Shire Hall on Friday night, with all proceeds going toward the purchase of a new commuter van for Mossman’s disabled community to be operated by the Douglas Shire Community Services Association. 

The Ball will also feature an expo-style exhibition for attendees to hear about a bunch of draft ideas for events and themes for the proposed Mossman Sugar Festival next year, which will celebrate the end of the cane season for the area in the vein of other harvest festivals.  Attendees will also be invited to offer their own ideas to help ensure the festival becomes an annual event supported by the whole community.

Organiser Desley Lloyd said the Douglas Shire Community Services Association’s current commuter van was an invaluable service for the area’s disabled community but was well past its use-by-date.

“The van is 14 years old and has done about 389,000 kilometres,” Ms Lloyd said. 

“The new van will feature a wheelchair hoist.

“It’s really a very important part of the Association’s services - there’s not a lot of public transport available in Mossman and we use it to take groups out into local inclusion activities, otherwise they’re just cooped up inside all day. It reduces isolation.”

The Ball will feature a three-course meal prepared by Mojo’s Restaurant, entertainment by Tony George Entertainment, and a theme and lighting by Ward Benedict.

Bookings are essential for attendance and can be arranged by contacting Ms Lloyd at 0409055788.