The hottest ticket in town is for the Ronald McDonald House Charities Central West gala ball after sellout sales and a lengthy waiting list.
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The annual ball, to be held on July 15 at Orange Function Centre, has a big drawcard with Australian singer-songwriter and five-time ARIA winner Diesel set to perform.
"Our volunteer ball committee is so excited as we have never sold out weeks out from our ball before," RMHCCW executive officer Rebecca Walsh said.
All funds raised at the ball will remain in Orange to directly support families from across the Central and Far West who come to stay at the house close to Orange Hospital.
Also on the entertainment bill for the night will be army band The Lancer Band of the 1/15th Royal NSW Lancers.
Guests can expect all the glitz and glamour associated with the annual gala ball with Orange personality James Grant to be the Master of Ceremonies for the evening.
The reality is that for many families they don't have the money to pay for accommodation and they would either have to travel backwards and forwards or sleep in their cars.
- Chairman of the RMHC Board Tim Leahey
Chairman of the RMHC Board Tim Leahey said all funds raised at the ball will remain in Orange to directly support families in the region.
Guests have purchased tickets from across the Central West, reflecting the importance communities place on being able to have cost free accommodation with other support services, when their child is rushed to Orange for emergency treatment.
Some of the districts top chefs have put up their hand to cater for the ball, with Dom Aboud (Union Bank), Hugh Piper (Hey Rosey), Jack Brown (Printhie), Darren Tracey and Stacey Ewin (The Sugar Mill), Sergeant Wendy Sparkes RAR 5th Combat Services Support Battalion and Richard Learmonth.
Since opening, RMHCCW has provided free accommodation and support services for 1248 families who have stayed for a total of just over 10,000 nights.
The highest category of families staying at the house since opening have been families of a child or adolescent experiencing a mental health crisis, who are receiving specialist and often life saving treatment at Orange Health Service.
The second highest category is women from towns such as Parkes, Forbes, Cowra, Mudgee, Bathurst and other areas of the Central West who are experiencing a high-risk pregnancy requiring specialist monitoring at Orange Hospital. Families of women who have emergency deliveries at Orange Hospital also make up this category.
"The reality is that for many families they don't have the money to pay for accommodation and they would either have to travel backwards and forwards or sleep in their cars," said RMHCCW board chair Tim Leahey.
He said a strong focus on fund-raising at the ball will be the 'sponsor a night' campaign.
Funds raised at the ball will also go towards providing emergency meals for families, grocery items for self-catering, in-room toiletries, complimentary breakfasts, and all laundry facilities.
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