SINGER Frankie Davidson sounded pretty chuffed when he crowed about ' making 100 in the backyard at Mum's' in his catchy 2005 tune. But it pales into insignificance compared to Vince and Anne Garreffa and family who made 445,000 in their backyard in Mt Lawley recently. While Davidson's song referenced his cricket score, their's was the amazing tally of dollars raised for their chosen charity Lifeline. "It's nirvana, people's hearts are amazing and the best part of it is every single solitary cent of it goes to Lifeline," said a delighted Vince Garreffa. "We don't take anything out of it at all, no costs, no administration, absolutely nothing. The staggering tally was thanks to a host of people especially naming rights sponsors of the annual charity brunch the Aspinall family, who donated many of the auction items, a gaggle of Perth's leading chefs who donated their time to expertly prepare the truckloads of fresh WA produce given by WA's best producers and then also put themselves into the mix as auction items. Media personality and MC Verity James kept the mood buoyant and master auctioneer Neil Brindley, Landmark Brindley & Gale made a stellar debut on the gavel, extracting every available dollar. And of course there were the 315 guests seated at long tables in the backyard under tarpaulins who paid between $250 and $1000 a head for their tickets to attend and then still put their hands in their pockets and purses to spend more. While it didn't quite eclipse the $517,000 record Mr Garreffa said in the current economic climate it was an outstanding result. "We started the brunch in 1996 and raised the princely sum of $4000, the next year it was $8000, then $10,000 and in that third year we introduced the auction and things went through the roof." Sparked by the trauma of being a bed-wetter as a kid and into his teens, Mr Garreffa said he had had some pretty dark thoughts in those days and if there had been a Lifeline around then (it was started in Perth in 1962) things may have been a bit easier for him. "I don't want any other person to battle these situations alone which is why it is so important to keep the likes of Lifeline strong to provide an ear or more expert care as required," he said. "You think these things are funded by government but they are not, at least not fully and there is an ever increasing need." Before the auction Mr Brindley primed the crowd that they only had to bid to buy. "And those of you here from Esperance will buy what you are given," he joked. But no encouragement was needed as Esperance proved one of the most generous regions with two tables from the southern paradise some of the most active bidders. Derella Downs and Pyramid Polls Merino stud principals Scott and Sue Pickering, Cascades, who have a connection with Mr Garreffa through his attendance at their annual on-property ram sale, were successful bidders at $3500 on the dinner for 10 to be hosted by the Garreffas at their home and also donated 10 Merino hoggets to the auction. But the highest priced group dinners (and top and second top prices for the day) were one for six to 10 people with executive chef Neal Jackson knocked down for $8000 and one at $7000 for an evening for 10 people with Marg Johnson and Vince Garreffa cooking, which WA Governor Kim Beazley said could happen at Government House as an added bonus. Other celebrity chefs to put their expertise in the dinner party mix were Sophie Budd (Taste Budds), Stephen Clarke (Clarkes of Northbridge), Chris Taylor (Fraser's), Adrian Tobin (Caterlink), Nicholas Wood (QT) and Chris Malone (Eleven Madison Park). Former Esperance machinery dealer Warren Slater bought several items including some certified organic beef donated by Mark and Karen Forrester, Kanandah station, Kalgoorlie. The Aspinall Family Charity Brunch hosted by the Garreffas in conjunction with their Mondo Community Warriors and The International Wine and Food Society has raised more than $3.5 million for Lifeline, since its inception. For more information or to make a donation visit lifelinebrunch.com