THERE will be plenty of "mad hatters" at the Wagga Country Club on Saturday night, but they are not silly.
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The organisers of a fund-raiser for Emma McLachlan have a serious goal of raising thousands of dollars to help the 36-year-old from The Rock through her battle with breast cancer.
But at the same time, they want the focus to be on having fun for the night.
One of the organisers and a close friend of Emma's, Bobbie-Jo Mitchell, said mad hatters had been chosen as the theme for the goods and services auction as a token of solidarity with Emma.
"Emma has had to shave her head and has been wearing hats and scarves for the past couple of weeks," Mrs Mitchell said.
"We thought that so she would not feel out of place we would wear hats as well."
Organisers of the auction and disco have arranged for 57 goods and services to be auctioned, including seven nights accommodation in a three-bedroom apartment in the Sebel Busselton, a Smeg dishwasher, a North Melbourne training jumper, two loads of firewood, a golf package, a family pass to Taronga Western Plains Zoo and even a dressed pig and four dressed lambs.
There will also be spot prizes, headware prizes and lucky door prizes.
Mrs Mitchell has been amazed at the generosity of people in donating auction items.
"You don't realise what sort of community Wagga is until you need support - and it's brilliant," Mrs Mitchell said.
"Em is so overwhelmed that people have been so generous."
Emma was diagnosed with breast cancer in March and underwent an operation in April.
She started chemotherapy on June 20 and has undergone two rounds of the treatment.
An early childhood educator at Goodstart Glenfield Park, Emma was born and raised at The Rock.
She and her family have supported the village's football and netball teams for many years.
Sadly, her mother died from lung cancer.
Despite the hardships she has faced, Emma remains positive, Mrs Mitchell said.
"She is full of life; when she told us about her cancer she was more concerned about how we would take it than on the effect on her," Mrs Mitchell said.
A lover of music and dancing, Emma just wants people to enjoy themselves tonight rather than concentrate on her, Mrs Mitchell said.
WHAT: Auction and disco fund-raiser for Emma McLachlan
WHERE: Wagga Country Club
WHEN: 7pm, Saturday, July 26.
COST: $20 a ticket. For 18s and over only.
MORE INFO: Bar menu and nibbles will be available.