Party of the Week. Gold Dinner at the Country Trader. By Amy Cooper

Persuading people to give to charity is harder in winter.  Even coaxing them out is a challenge.  On a night that's colder than a beer fridge, most of us would rather be on the sofa watching palm trees on Getaway and the city's rich would rather be in their mansions, enfolded in cashmere and counting their lucre. 

To encourage them to donate it to Sydney Children's Hospital instead, the Gold Committee needed an even more enticing location for their annual fund- raiser than previous ones, which have included a gold tent and a glittery stable.

We were directed to Waterloo and into the Pyd building, home of the massive antique treasure house The Country Trader, where the wealthy and elite were being filtered through several entrances into what looked like the ancestral chateau of a decadent, slightly mad but generous aristocrat.  Chandeliers festooned the ceiling and guests were arranged at various antique dining tables and on ancient chairs (mine had a price tag on it that made me flinch).  The Country Trader owner, Geoffrey Clark, had brought out the best china, a 200-year-old Limoges dinner service, and on it were suitable delicacies: black-truffle risotto and lobster, scallop and snapper pie.  It was the sort of lavish atmosphere designed to inspire matching donations.

"A bidding ware erupted for lunch with Packed to the Rafters star Hugh Sheridan".

This year, Gold had a new major sponsor, NAB Private Wealth, and an auction prize list of desirables including a Paris trip, Louis Vuitton luggage and even a Bally man-bag containing footy tickets and malt whisky.

Teenage Australia's Got Talent star Mark Vincent belted out a gut-thumping Nessun Dorma, tenor Scott Mathers delivered a heart-tugging Con Te Partiro and Katie Noonan corroned Leornard Cohen's Hallelujah.

By the time Kelly Latimer told everyone about her extraordinary 11 month old son Blake, who survived a complex heart operation during which he had to be resuscitated 30 times, emotions were high and wallets were open.

Gold Dinner auctions are unapologetically direct.  "it's only money, sir, and you've got plenty of it, ' barked auctioneer Tim Goodman to one hesitant bidder.  At my table, containing Channel Seven boss David Leckie anbd MC Mark Ferguson, a bidding war erupted for lunch with Packed to the Rafters star Hugh Sheridan - also from Channel SEven.  The $5000 winner: Leckie's missus and Gold Community stalwart, Skye.

She's one of the dogged committee members who work the phones and contacts all year to keep this dinner giving large, even in tough times.  This year was no exception.  The $925,000 total drew cheers even from the toughest tycoons and put a warm glow on the chilliest cheeks.  Now that's gold. Back