Grand Casino to celebrate 1st Year anniversary in style and donate Port Vila Central Hospital with life-saving equipment

By Shaun Mack, Grand Hotel & Casino, 21st January 2010: This is just an informal note from myself to tell you all a bit about the Charity Night and to also ask for your help. Don't worry, it's painless. For those of you that haven't seen the adverts yet, Grand Casino, of Grand Hotel located in the heart of Port Vila, is having it's first year anniversary and the owners have been gracious enough to agree to host a spectacular cocktail party and donate the proceeds to the Port Vila Central hospital in the form of much needed equipment. Trust me when I say it'll be a huge night. If you don't know who our act Frank Bennett is, then simply know that he's one of Australia's best known crooners doing all the old standards by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and the like. Some of you may know him from the JJJ radio charts where he did swing style versions of modern songs like Creep by Radiohead or Betterman by Pearl Jam. I saw him in Melbourne and he did the real Rat Pack era thing with the Tuxedo, loosened bow tie and the scotch frequently in hand throughout the show. It was pretty cool. However if you really appreciate your music, the band we're flying in to back him is going to be one of the best bunch of musicians you'll ever see in Vanuatu, literally. These are the session musicians that play on Australian Idol for the contestants, or for Tom Jones and the like when they fly into Australia for concerts. They really are some of the best. Frank Bennett has rounded them up to play for him here and they'll be doing three sets throughout the night with Frank fronting two of them. The evening is going to be spread across the entire ground floor as we're moving out all the furniture including all the tables and chairs in the restaurant, so that the foyer as you enter will be transformed into a stage for Frank & the band as well as a dance floor for those who wish to go cheek to cheek (did I mention there's even a horn section for all you brass lovers out there, me included).

Crystals restaurant will be our lounge area for the night to relax and put your feet up if they get tired from too much dancing, with all of the couches and armchairs through the building being spread throughout the restaurant, and surrounded by a veritable sea of candles and black satin.
The main gaming level of the Casino off of the foyer will be closed to the general public for the night for the exclusive use of guests of the party, with both normal gaming as well as mini gaming tournaments for cash and prizes, with the money raised going to charity also (downstairs will still be open to the public). Details are still being finalised, but to give you an idea, every half hour on the half hour you could sit in on a 20 minute black jack tournament where you are given a set amount of play chips for say a 2,000vt buy in. Whoever has the most play chips at the end of the time limit wins a prize that has been donated by the local business community, such as dinner for two at one of Vanuatu's many restaurants  or a nights accommodation etc, as well as a spot in the play offs. The money from the buy in will have part go to charity, and part go into a pool which will jackpot as a final prize for the winners from each tournament who will have a playoff at the end to see who wins the major cash jackpot. You'll be able to enter as many times as you like if you want to increase your chances. Auctions and raffles will also be held over the course of the night of prizes donated by the local business community (yes that's you) to help raise funds for the hospital.

Being a sophisticated, Casino Royale style cocktail party, canapes will be served constantly throughout the night with buffet stations also available if you just can't wait for that next tray of tempura prawns. It is mostly finger foods on the night as is any true cocktail party, though rest assured you won't leave hungry as there'll be plenty to go around or help yourself to. The good thing about a constant flow of hors d oeuvres is that your other hand never has to put down your champagne (p.s. guests receive a complimentary glass of Mumm champagne on arrival to kick you off).
I send you all this email not just to fill you in on what we hope will be a very unique, sophisticated and entertaining night, but to ask you to help us. We all chose to live here because we love this beautiful country, with all its quirks and idiosyncrasy's, and raising funds for the hospital which benefits the greater community of this country is a great way to give back. As such we are hoping that any of you who are willing, or are in a position to help out, could possibly do so in the form of donating services, products, meals, accommodation or anything whatsoever to be auctioned, raffled or given as prizes on the night. If you wish to make a cash donation, please either call me or do so on the night.

Grand Hotel & Casino is donating the venue, all the time and organisation involved (and it's considerable) and the costs involved in doing so, as well as the proceeds raised from the night as it's donation, however we are purely the venue and facilitators of this charity night with many hotels, resorts and other businesses already joining in to help us. Please join us also.

Many people have been very generous already, with donations of accommodation, dinners and lunches, bottles of alcohol, personal services and much more. If you don't have anything you can donate, feel free to donate a home cooked meal or be a personal slave for a night or anything you can think of. It's all for a worthy cause. Could all donations please be accompanied with a voucher (or the product) as well as your company logo where possible as we will be promoting all the sponsors throughout the night. Please call me on +678 5533333 or email me on this email address  to organise your sponsorship.

And for the gentlemen out there worried about the Black Tie dress code, don't panic. We understand that not every man in Vanuatu has a tuxedo so suit jacket and straight tie on the night is fine. Though let it be known that if you're not in at least jacket and tie, entry will not be permitted. Ladies, I'm sure you'll all make me proud. All going well even the staff will be black tie on the night If our shirts arrive on time. (We're even having a "Cigar Girl" for those that remember what they are, for the discerning gentlemen or even ladies who wish to partake poolside).
All up this will be one massive event with a top class show, all your food, fireworks display, chances to win or bid on great prizes, and of course lots of fun, all for around $100AUD of which proceeds to charity. Well worth the money and you can feel good paying it too.

We  here at the Grand Hotel & Casino will continue to make these major events happen but we can only do so if you continue to support us, so if you think this sounds like a great night, then come along and help make a difference and have an extremely memorable night doing it. In years to come  you'll be able to say you were at the very first of them. Tickets can be purchased for 9,500vt pp at Grand reception or call +678 28882 to book.

Looking back this has been a long email so I'll leave you in peace now. Thanks for reading and we hope you can either help sponsor the night with a donation or join us for the major event, or maybe even both.
Take care & lukim yu
Mack