private function getEventStartDate()
    {
        $currentDate = $this->Event()->getController()->CurrentDate();
        if ($currentDate && $currentDate->exists()) {
            $date = $currentDate->obj('StartDate')->Format('Y-m-d');
            $time = $currentDate->obj('StartTime')->Format('H:i:s');
            $dateTime = SS_Datetime::create();
            $dateTime->setValue("$date $time");
            return $dateTime;
        } else {
            return null;
        }
    }