The Room Fell Silent: Why One Call Can Change a Life

At first, it’s the sparkle that captures you. Sequins catching the light, gowns brushing the floor, bow ties neatly fastened. The Lifeline Canberra Gala is a celebration in every sense of the word. But then, the room falls silent.

It’s not because the music has stopped or the host has taken the mic. It’s because, for a moment, everyone in the room is reminded why they’re really there.

A story is shared. A phone call is played. On the other end, a voice, vulnerable, lost, scared. And then, a pause. A breath. A reply. Calm. Empathetic. Certain. A Lifeline volunteer, holding the weight of a life in their words, gently guides the caller back from the brink.

There’s not a dry eye in the room.

This is what Lifeline Canberra does, every single day. Behind the scenes, when the world is sleeping or celebrating or moving too fast to notice, Lifeline volunteers are there. They are the ones who pick up the call when someone is at their lowest, when the darkness feels like it’s winning, when the silence becomes too loud.

And that’s why we gather.

Yes, we dress up. We bid on auction items. We toast to community and connection. But beneath the glamour is something much more powerful, a shared belief that no one should face their darkest hour alone.

Lifeline Canberra doesn’t just run a call centre. They run a lifeline, in every sense of the word. A rope that stretches out into the abyss, held tightly by trained, compassionate volunteers. Volunteers who have heard it all, felt it all, and still pick up, again and again.

Every dollar raised tonight helps ensure that when your loved one needs someone, when you do, there will be someone to answer.

This isn’t just a night of elegance. It’s a night of purpose.

Because when you’re at the bottom, unsure of what comes next, it takes enormous courage to make the call.

And when you do, a Lifeline volunteer will answer.

Learn more about Lifeline Canberra, donate or become a volunteer: http://lifelinecanberra.org.au