On Sunday 23 August, 60 BNI members and their families swapped boardrooms for walking boots for the first multi-region BNI Charity Hike Day — a morning hike through Mt Coot-tha down to the JC Slaughter Falls picnic area, with 1-2-1 networking along the trail, a shared lunch, announcements from BNI's national leadership, and a Scavenger Hunt and Body Bingo once everyone arrived.
What made this one different from a typical networking event was the thinking behind it. Rather than another breakfast in a function room, the organisers built a day around getting outside and moving — leaning into the growing evidence that time outdoors and physical activity support mental health, not just physical health. Sixty people and their families showed up for it, on a Sunday, for two causes. That's not a small ask, and it's not a small result either: every ticket, hamper, donation and raffle purchase on the day raised $2,195.28, split evenly between The Mini Farm Project and Westside Community Care — $1,097.64 each.
It's also a genuinely good fit for what we do. The Mini Farm Project exists because we believe in working with nature, not against it — building soil instead of stripping it, growing food instead of just moving it around, doing dirty, physical, outdoor work because that's what actually feeds people. A network of business owners choosing a mountain over a boardroom, for a cause, is a version of the same instinct.
A huge thank you
BNI leadership — a big thank you to Avi Sequeira for all his support in making this event happen, and to Region Directors Sharon McGrory, Vicki Parker and Leisa Gill, and Anthony Kuluz, for their support and for being there on the day.
Our committee and volunteers — Sophie, Kel, Fiona, Jessica and Nicola, and every volunteer who helped run the day. It doesn't happen without you.
Our sponsors — Fiona Becker of Boho by the Bayside donated the picnic raffle prize, valued at $350. Kel Connolly of BlacKandleS donated a diffuser raffle prize valued at $140. We chipped in a Dark Acre, 1kg coffee and candle hamper valued at $144. And a huge thank you to our anonymous donor, who generously contributed $1,100 to fund the prizes and giveaways on the day.
Behind the lens — Corey, of CJL Photography, donated his time and his eye for the day, capturing the hike, the picnic and everyone who made it happen. If you're after an events photographer, he's worth a look: cjl.photography.
A special shoutout — to Shara Hazel and Jo-Anne Bowyer, who came all the way from the Sunshine Coast to join us. Super stars.
Thank you to every BNI member and family who turned up, hiked, picnicked, and gave. Over $2,195 shared between two charities doing real work in our community is a strong first outing for a new kind of BNI event — and we'd love to see it become a regular one.
If this is the first you're hearing of The Mini Farm Project: we're building a network of charity farms across South East Queensland to feed Australian families experiencing food insecurity, while training young people who've fallen through the cracks in Certificate II Horticulture.
You can back that mission the same way — buy a bag of Mini Farm Coffee, grab a bottle of Dark Acre, or a Homestead candle or Pim Cha Nok bag, and help us reach our 20,000 by Christmas challenge.
Get the Dirt at www.mfp.org.au
