Bar tenders looking good- Simone Kelsall, Adrian Lowrie and Cara Goodwin are UGLY bartenders fundraising in Yarra Valley pubs for the Leukaemia Foundation. 56074

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
UGLY bartenders from across the valley are joining forces for a good cause.
UGLY stands for Understanding, Generous, Likeable, You!
Wesburn’s Sam Knott Hotel bartender Simone Kelsall, Yarra Junction’s Cunninghams Hotel bartender Adrian Lowrie and Healesville’s Grand Hotel bartender Cara Goodwin are holding a variety of activities this month to fundraise for the Leukaemia Foundation.
During November the bartenders are in the running to become Australia’s UGLY Bartender of the Year if they can raise the most money.
Each of the bartenders has been touched personally by a family member or a friend who has had cancer.
Adrian said his boss first mentioned the fundraiser as a practical joke, but once he read into it he wanted to join in.
“I have a good friend who’s sick from leukemia and we’re in the public eye, so what better way to raise money?” he said.
Cunningham’s is holding a motorbike show and auctions on 21 November from noon onwards, when Barb Blues from the Queen of Memphis Blues will be performing.
Simone and her fellow bartenders at Wesburn have been fundraising all year as their owner’s nephew has leukaemia.
“I’m the lucky one that got to wear the T-shirt though,” she said.
The Sam Knott Hotel is holding a pool competition on 20 November and a drag show with supper provided on 27 November.
Cara’s mum died from cancer a few years ago, “so I understand how important it is to fundraise for these places”.
“A lot of people are asking us what it’s about, and all the locals are fantastic – they’re happy to help,” she said.
Healesville’s Grand Hotel is putting $1 for every shot sold into a kitty for the foundation.
The Leukaemia Foundation raises money to provide support to patients and families during their treatment for blood cancer, an ugly disease where every hour of every day, someone in Australia is diagnosed with leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma.