The Rippers Club annual summer drinks at Cottage

The Rippers Club annual summer drinks at Cottage

Last Saturday, the Rippers Club held a fun afternoon and “Ripping” event for its members and guests at the annual Rippers Summer Drinks held at Cottage overlooking the Rip. 

The Rippers help facilitate and enable support for Cottage by the Sea across their far-reaching business and social networks. As always, their events are packed full of fun and importantly raise plenty of dollars to help children and families experience opportunity, inspiration and fun at Cottage by the Sea.

In attendance was celebrity guest Matt Preston, who helped out with his cocktail creation the “Santa Casa Cherry Bomb”. Matt was very patient with his time, posing for countless photos while attending to his cocktail creation. Guests also toasted to recently appointed Cottage by the Sea President Scott Chapman, who has just been appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for his significant service to the Victorian community through a range of governance roles, including as a long-standing Board member of Cottage by the Sea.

Cottage Ambassadors and Rippers Committee members Ian Cover OAM and Phil de Fégely staged a spirited auction of a unique LEGO boat, the Pilot Vessel Nepean from Port Phillip Sea Pilots, built by local artist Huw Joyce. It took two days to build and was presented in a customised 5mm-strong glass case with a suitably sea-textured wooden base by Tudor Glass in Adelaide. A huge thank you to Thorsten Werges and his team at Port Phillip Sea Pilots for kindly donating this piece of art, which was the highest priced auction item.

Now in its second year, the recurring auction of the “Mermaid Denim” was kindly donated to the Rippers and Cottage by Queenscliff Trader. Once again, the Mermaid Denim will be donated back to Cottage as a highly sought after item.

Thanks to our other auction donors, namely Harvey’s of Highton who kindly donated two awesome bikes and Faggs Mitre 10 Wallington who kindly donated a Weber BBQ. We are also very grateful to the Barwon Heads Brewery for their support.

A big hit was the very sturdy and “long spinning” Rippers Spinning Wheel, which was built with the craftsmanship and kindness of The Main Ridge Men’s Shed as a donation to the Rippers for their fundraising. Spinning Wheel prizes included three copies of the coffee table book Pilot On Board, which provides a fascinating insight into the work of the Port Phillips Sea Pilots (also kindly donated by Port Phillip Sea Pilots).

Thank you also to the team who helped cater for the event, including Cottage Chef Kim Asmussen, Cottage Volunteers Corinne Mitchell and Andrew Gati, as well as Tony Rickard, Charlie Gati and Shelby Jayde from the Cottage team.

We can’t wait to welcome the Rippers members and their friends back to Cottage for their annual Friday lunch in May. If you are interested in joining in the fun of the Rippers for a great cause, please contact Cottage and ask for a Rippers membership form and details about the Rippers.