Rua Consultancy director Karen Hattaway said 27 seats were sold for the $380 dinner which came together in just under a week to raise money to repatriate the body of Rob Raisele to his family in Gau, Fiji, following his sudden death in Cromwell, where he worked.
The total raised for the fund on Saturday was $10,340 and there would be more to come, from an auction running until the end of next week, Ms Hattaway said.
Some people had bought seats to support the family and then given the tickets to Mr Raisele’s brother and family in Cromwell so they could attend the dinner as a remembrance, she said.
"It was a beautiful evening."
A highlight was singing by Mr Raisele’s niece Grace Tiko and also the Fijian Men’s Choir.
"It was a very moving moment on the night."
All money from the dinner and auction would go towards repatriation. No cost for food or wine would be deducted. Businesses and wineries had been very generous, she said.
It would cost from $15,000 to $17,000 to send Mr Raisele’s body home, Ms Hattaway said.
