Canberra PCYC is pulling out all stops for its big fundraiser in December - with abseiling and ziplining down the 24-storey Lovett Tower in Woden and a lazy 75 Ferraris thrown in for good measure on what promises to be an action-packed weekend.
Its Dare to Plunge and Festival of Ferraris will be held in Woden Friday, Saturday, Sunday, December 2, 3 and 4, giving the public the chance to face their fears and abseil or zipline down the 93-metre-high building or race up its stairwell.
On the Sunday, December 4, 75 Ferraris will also be assembled by the ACT chapter of the Ferrari Club of Australia as part of the festivities.
Canberra Police Community Youth Club (PCYC) chief executive Cheryl O'Donnell said the Ferraris would be put to good use.
"At the end of the day, disadvantaged children, kids that are ill and young children with Down syndrome will be taken for a lap around Woden in the Ferraris, which will be the thrill of a lifetime," she said.
Ms O'Donnell said the recent sale of Lovett Tower had given the PCYC an opportunity to deal direct with the new owner and ask for his help in supporting the cause.
To abseil or zipline on the weekend in December, participants need to fundraise at least $850. The first 20 people to raise $1200 get to do both. A registration fee of $200 is also required.
All the money raised will go to the Canberra PCYC which helps disadvantaged and vulnerable young people and their families.
"Canberra PCYC is currently working with over 600 young people and families in the ACT," Ms O'Donnell said.
"We've got our usual massive wait list. There's well over 400 young people waiting to get on the programs. So we're really looking to fundraise so we can expand our programs, especially our social enterprise ones that are giving these young people opportunities to gain sustainable employment."
The big drawcard will also be the 75 Ferraris, millions of dollars worth of Italian sportscars and untold horsepower all in the same spot at the same time, on Sunday, December 4.
To help promote the event, four Ferraris owned by Canberrans were put on display in Woden on Friday - a 1976 308 GTB, 2014 458 Spider, 2014 512 Berlinetta and 1994 F355.
Now wanting to give away his last name, Michael, national secretary of the Ferrari Club Australia, said there were 5600 Ferraris in Australia and about 60 in the ACT.
"We will have a lot of people coming down for Sydney for the weekend," he said.
Bam Bracken, 14, of Canberra is one young person who has flourished thanks to PCYC.
"I started with doing the P-180 program with Canberra PCYC, four-day week program. Do about two hours of school work and then you go out and do an activity," he said.
"And then I started to work in the Canberra PCYC food van at Wakefield Park in Goulburn when I was 12 and now I've been working with PCYC ever since.
"Now, I'm 14 working in the food van still and doing removalists here at Lovett Tower."
The teenager said the PCYC had helped him a lot.
"They've helped me through some tough times," he said.
"I like doing PCYC, it's better than roaming around the streets and doing nothing."
Bam said getting the chance to even get close to a Ferrari has been a dream.
"I've loved cars, ever since I was little. I've always wanted my own car, just as a project car to build," he said.
"If I got a chance to ride in one of these Ferraris, I would be over the moon, I would love it."
- Canberra PCYC Dare to Plunge and Festival of Ferraris, December 2, 3 and 4 Lovett Tower, Keltie Street, Woden. The 75 Ferraris will be on display Sunday, December 4. There will also be music and food trucks will also be there over the weekend.
- Register and fundraise for the Lovett Tower zipline and abseil here.
