The annual dinner was cancelled in 2015 and Chairman Peter Doddy said there were hopes it would return but that is no longer a possibility. 

“I have fallen on ill health, but not to worry I am still about, but unfortunately with the committee so involved with other things there was no one to take the chair as there is a fair bit of work involved in it,” he said.

Mr Doddy said he hoped his health would improve so the committee could host one final fundrasing dinner to help children in need.

“It has done such wonderful things over the years, you don't want to lessen its memory by not doing something as well as we once did, we want Moonbeam to be remembered for what it has done over a long period of time,” committee treasurer Hugh McKenzie said.

Donations of more than $25,000 each were made to numerous organisations across Northern Tasmania including St Giles, White Lion, Giant Steps, Angel’s Bullying, the LGH Children’s Ward and for suicide prevention. 

Moonbeam started after Mr Doddy felt there was a need to raise funds which stayed in Tasmania and directly supported children in the region. “We wanted to concentrate on our home,” he said. 

“It was a charity people really got behind because they knew where it was going … we were raising funds but it was something we thoroughly enjoyed.”

The events had not only been large fundraisers, but a lot of fun, with Mr Doddy claiming one of his highlights was seeing a vacuum cleaner sell for $5000 in an auction.

The committee had a reserve of cash for emergencies, which was raised through raffles, but now they are dispersing that money back into the community as Moonbeam winds up. 

This includes a donation of $2000 towards The Examiner’s Empty Stocking Appeal. It takes the total raised to $38,431 as of December 8.