Junior Chamber International's Illawarra chapter is calling on the business community to help it stage NSW's largest Australia's Biggest Morning Tea event by making every cup count.
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Tickets for the seventh annual Tea By The Sea can be bought at TBTS14.eventbrite.com.au by May 16.
Further information can be found by emailing the committee at tea@jciillawarra.org.
Former Miss World Australia national top 10 finalist Jess Pinkerton is one of the driving forces behind this year's event, which is at City Beach Function Centre.
Ms Pinkerton said a number of businesses had already started booking tables for the May 22 event.
Cancer Council southern regional manager Toby Dawson said by making a cup count next week Illawarra people would be helping the Cancer Council do important work in the region.
"The funds raised will be invested back into the local community so we can support people who are going through treatment in Wollongong," Mr Dawson said.
The Cancer Council does that by helping people through its information centre.
It also helps patients get to treatment through general and practical support services.
The Cancer Council southern region office also invests in schools so it can educate children on lifestyle habits that can help prevent a cancer diagnosis later in life.
Ms Pinkerton said donations could be made online and the silent auction could also be accessed in advance.
"We will be opening the silent auction beforehand so people can get their bid in by SMS before the day," Ms Pinkerton said.
"Because of SMS people don't even have to be at the event to bid. So if people can't come they can still contribute to fund-raising."
The annual tradition of auctioning a tea cup will continue with Simon Kersten of Colliers International doing the honours this year.
The emcee for the breakfast fund-raiser is Peter Buckley, of Thomas and Coffey, who was among a handful of people who were at the first Tea By The Sea, which was organised for a small group of friends by event founder Stefanie Gaspari seven years ago.
It now attracts about 300 people and to date more than $50,000 has been raised for the Cancer Council's important work.
Thomas and Coffey, Sydney Business School and the Commonwealth Bank (CBA) have already booked tables for the 2014 Tea By The Sea and many more businesses are expected to join them this week.