Brand, Charity Events, Fundraising, Our Events

Best Charity or Cause-Related Event – Award Winners

By Sarah O'Bryan
3 min read | October 29, 2024

The Perfect Events Group is proud to announce some incredible news. Last Wednesday, at the Australian Event Awards in Sydney, we took home the award for Best Charity or Cause-Related Event in Australia for the Legacy Centenary Torch Relay 2023. 

 

This recognition is a monumental achievement and a testament to the passion, dedication, and hard work poured into this project. To be honoured in this way is beyond humbling. 

The Australian Event Awards said : 

“The intricacy of what you had to do to put this event together is impressive. How you matched the corporates to families that benefited from Legacy to make it meaningful and real for those involved was very clever.”

 

This relay travelled over 55,000km, involved 1,500 torchbearers, and mobilised 1,000 volunteers to commemorate Legacy’s 100 years of supporting veterans and their families. Even more powerfully, we raised $7.5 million to help Legacy continue its extraordinary work and created a media reach of 1.78 billion!

If you’ve followed Perfect Events Group’s journey, you know this project was born from the challenges of COVID-19. After three years of meticulous planning, sweat, and tears, we brought this vision to life—and it has become one of the most meaningful chapters of my career. 

 

A project of this magnitude is not for the faint-hearted, and our CEO, Liliana Sanelli, is beyond proud to have led it. To stand here now, with this award in hand, is a moment she will cherish forever. It’s a victory we ALL share.

 

We want to say an enormous THANK YOU to the incredible legends who made this journey unforgettable: 

 

Legacy Australia – especially Scott Warr, former CEO, Eric Easterbrook, former Chairman, Wayne McNee, Chairman, Katrina Hagerty, Executive Officer, Kerry Jenke, President of Melbourne Legacy, Ken Tsirigotis, former COO of Melbourne Legacy, and Anthony Birch LTCOL in London!

 

ADF Support – for their continued support. We want to give a special shout-out to Catherine (Bunny) Carrigan COL, Murray Duckworth CSM LTCOL, Michael (Chuck) Connors OAM LCDR RAN, Alison Squirrell CPL, Richard Elsom CMDR 1, and Scott Clingan COL!

 

Media team – Max Markson of Markson Sparks, Jodie Artis and the team from Progressive PR. Thank you to Justin Lees for the incredible coverage in Europe, and to Channel 9.

 

Operations Team – The amazing PEG team who made the impossible, possible  – PAST & PRESENT!

Our Generous Sponsors – Defence Health, BAE, Lockheed Martin, Boeing Australia, ADA, Accenture, Europcar and many more 

 

Torch Bearers, Volunteers, and the 45 Legacy Clubs – You turned this event into a movement. 

 

Also, a huge shoutout to our CEO’s wonderful husband Jeff Comerford, beautiful girls Saraya and Sapphire and all of her family who supported her in so many ways! Also to the families of the PEG team who were constantly on the road. Your support and morale allowed our team to perform their best work.

This event didn’t just raise funds—it changed lives and created memories that will last a lifetime. The Legacy brand now stands stronger than ever, thanks to the incredible support from all involved. 

 

We are forever grateful for every moment, every challenge, and every person who stood by us. This award is for all of us.  

 

Here’s to believing in impossible dreams and creating meaningful impact—because together, we have the power to transform lives and leave a legacy that lasts forever.

By Sarah O'Bryan
3 min read | October 29, 2024

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