On Thursday night 21st June 2018 – the winter solstice – Darling Ron Browne slept with 307 other like-minded people at the White Bay Cruise Terminal. They were all gathered to raise funds for Vinnies (The St Vincent de Paul Society) to support their work with the homeless and disadvantaged.
This was Ron’s 11th sleepout, of the 13 that have been run since 2006, and this year his friends and supporters helped him raise $1,624 to add to the total pool raised in Sydney of $1.9 million! Apart from his Rotary activities, his main focus for giving back to the community, President Ron always sleeps out. Over the 11 sleep outs he’s been at, Ron has ‘slept with’ Major General Sir Peter Cogrove, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (when he was the Opposition Leader), Gail Kelly (ex-CEO of Westpac), Dick Smith and the Hon. Pru Goward MP.
Ron’s friend Bernie Fehon, the founder of the event, was recognised with an Order of Australia Medal in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his service to the community in social welfare and supporting the homeless.
Ron with Founder Bernie Fehon OAM (Centre) and a fellow sleeper Mark
