A troupe of comedians and musicians have banded together to stage a party after they were touched by a tragic Ballarat East house fire, which left a young man homeless.
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Events leading up to the fundraiser began on August 12, when a fire tore through the man’s home along Eureka Street, destroying his belongings and leaving his house uninhabitable.
But the victim, who does not want to be identified, had plenty of mates in his corner.
His close friend, Daniel Mayman, decided to set up a GoFundMe web page in the wake of the fire, hoping to raise some money to help his mate rebuild his life.
The crowdfunding page far surpassed their wildest dreams, raising $6000 in just days, allowing the duo to donate leftover money to a house fire charity called Logan House Fire Support Network.
But the movement also caught the attention of some big names with connections to Ballarat, including Motor City Sounds’ singer Mick Hardiman and comedians The Nelson Twins, Pommy Johnson of Hey Hey It’s Saturday fame and Evan Hocking, who has been touted as the next Dave Hughes.
They will come together for a day of revelry at Irish Murphy's Ballarat along Sturt Street on September 17, from 2pm.
Tickets cost $40, with all proceeds to be donated to the house fire victim and Logan House Fire Support Network.
Children under 16 will be welcome for free.
“There will be raffles, games, and an opportunity for the crowd to have a chat with some of Australia’s funniest guys,” Mr Mayman said.
“I'm amazed at how far something small I tried to do for a friend and a charity has snowballed.
“It’s a heartening reminder of how community-minded the residents of Ballarat and beyond really are.”
The day will also be supported by Ballarat’s famous Beard and Moustache Union, who are planning on rallying the entire team to come along.
“It’s what they do,” Mr Mayman said.
CFA crews were called in to battle the blaze of the victim’s house on the corner of Eureka Street and Otway Street South about 3.40am back on August 12.
Ballarat Fire Brigade Captain Mark Cartledge said firefighters arrived to find the front of the white weatherboard home already engulfed in flames.
The victim was treated by paramedics as a precaution and provided with emergency accommodation through Ballarat City Council.
But his home was gutted, with fire blackening the insides of many rooms.
To book, head to trybooking.com/rvyd
Alternatively, tickets will be at the door.
