Father and Son Breakfast 2017
Father and Son Breakfast 2017
August 29, 2017 at 3:29 PM
‘I Am. I Can. I Will.’
Tony Christiansen
The Boys’ School mums are well used to getting up early each school day morning to make sure that breakfast is on the table for their boys. Two mornings a year, ‘early’ becomes very early and ‘breakfast’ preparation becomes a veritable feast for those mums who kindly offer up their time to help prepare and serve breakfast at school. Yes, on the mornings of the Father and Son Breakfasts, it’s a 4.30am start!
On two consecutive days this week, JC Chalmers Hall was full to bursting as 380 diners per morning took their seats at the breakfast table. Over two sittings, that was 760 bowls of cereal, 760 muffins, 760 pancakes with untold ‘squirty’ cream, fresh fruit salad and the Saint Kentigern mothers’ speciality, lovingly home baked bacon and egg pie for 760, with some extra bacon on the side for those who still had room. Let’s not forget the 760 bottles of juice and free-flowing coffee, tea and chocolate – or the 760 grubby plates, bowls, mugs, knives, forks and spoons that needed dealing with at the end! Our mothers are veritable saints!
Each year we welcome a speaker to our breakfasts and generally leave with a very strong message of inspiration. This year was no different as we welcomed Tony Christiansen to the stage.
Tony is a world-leading, motivational speaker. He is humorous, bold and straight talking.
And he has no legs.
Tony lost his legs as a result of a horrific train accident when he was 9 years old - but don’t try telling him he can’t do things! Tony has climbed Mt Kilimanjaro, he’s a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a pilot, a champion race car driver, a skier, a scuba diver, a qualified surf life saver, he’s the world’s fastest amputee on the Bonneville Salt Flats - and has achieved many more remarkable feats in his life. Feats that are remarkable for those with two legs let alone none. With his mantra, ‘I Am. I Can. I Will,’he encouraged the boys to set their own challenges and not accept the limitations imposed by their own attitudes or other people’s perceptions.
Principal Mr Peter Cassie, echoed Tony’s words saying it was a simple, yet powerful, message of inspiration. He is sure that he will hear ‘I Am. I Can. I Will’ expressed by staff, fathers and boys over the coming weeks.
Our thanks to Tony for sharing his story with us. Our grateful thanks are also offered to Cath Costello and her team of mothers for getting the morning underway. Cath and her organising committee were supported by two teams of 15 mums who came in each morning to assist in the serving, clearing up and resetting of the tables. A huge thank you also to the team of mums who baked the now traditional ‘Father and Son Bacon and Egg pie’ … for 760!
The ‘Breakfast Crew’
Our thanks to the committee mothers: Cath Costello, Rebecca McLeod, Kirsty Cowie, Tessa Larsen, Denise Pollard, Sarah Wilby.
Our grateful thanks to our sponsors
Our Saint Kentigern family community came out in great force to sponsor this event, special mention to: Mr Nick Lyus - Barfoot and Thomposn for generously sponsoring our speaker. Mr Martin Smith, GM of Collective Hospitality who gets more generous with their catering support and delicious treats each year. Mr David Burton from Jacks Coffee who came back again this year to show us that his Saint Kenitgern Old Collegian spirit just never dies! Mr Greg Leighton, Travel Specialists for kindly assisting us in the accommodation of our speaker. The Bason Family, Venluree for consistently offering their support with logistical issues. The Peterson Family, Blue Frog Breakfast Cereal for giving the boys a great healthy start to the day. We also extend a warm thank you to Pacific Linen, Charlies Juice, Corporate Rentals, and Pulse Party Hire for their generous discounts and fabulous service.
