03 February 2012
Auckland Airport was able to make 12 charities very happy just before the Christmas period when they distributed $120,000, donated as change by passengers passing through the airport over the year.
Here are the winners:
Raukatauri Music Centre: This charitable trust uses music therapy to work with children with special needs. Set up by well-known Kiwi songstress Hinewehi Mohi, whose daughter has cerebral palsy , the centre will use their $10,000 to employ a new music therapist. This will allow another 10 children to attend each session. www.rmtc.org.nz
Auckland Search and Rescue: Formed after the Christchurch earthquakes, this team of 20 trained volunteer firefighters is based in Shelly Beach, north of Auckland. The non-profit organisation will put the money towards a patient rescue and retrieval kit as well as stoke baskets and rescue lines.
Kidz First Children’s Hospital: Being in hospital is never fun, and when one child is sick, visiting the hospital is a regular occurrence for many families. Anything that can be done to make the experience a little less stressful is worthwhile. So staff at this South Auckland hospital will be using their $10,000 to build a playground, not only for the sick kids, but also for their siblings and families to enjoy.
The John Walker Field of Dreams Foundation: This charitable trust helps thousands of children learn to swim every year. The $10,000 will go towards a new portable pool to be used in four primary schools in Mangere – one for each term. www.fieldofdreams.org.nz
The NZ Gynaecological Cancer Foundation: This organisation works to raise awareness of gynaecological cancers affecting New Zealand women, including ovarian cancer, which kills a Kiwi woman every two days. They will be putting the $10,000 specifically towards translating a recently launched educational DVD into Te Reo Maori. www.silverribbon.co.nz
Hands of Hope Community Services: This non-profit organisation has been giving out emergency food parcels and Christmas hampers to families that need them for 11 years. The $10,000 bought presents to put in 200 hampers that were mainly to be distributed in Mangere, where the organisation is based, but 50 were also taken up to Kaitaia. www.handsofhope.org.nz
Living Springs campsite: This charitable trust has been putting on educational, recreational, adventure-based programmes and school holiday camps for more than 30 years. Based in Christchurch, the trust used the $10,000 to allow 40 children from quake-affected areas the quake-ravaged city to attend the camps during the holidays free of charge. www.livingsprings.co.nz
Kaipataki Project: Volunteers for this non-profit organisation spend their time ensuring their North Shore neighbourhood stays clean and green. It started as a community restoration project, and now volunteers plant thousands of trees and plants every year. Their $10,000 will go towards buying a vehicle to transport plants, equipment, volunteers and educational materials to local planting days. www.kaipataki.org.nz
Paralympics New Zealand: This country’s paralympic athletes are currently training for the Paralympics later this year, and thanks to the $10,000 grant from Auckland Airport, athletes will be able to train at an international level on a new tandem bike. www.paralympics.org.nz
Cure Kids: This charity aims to give hope and happiness to children with life-threatening illnesses and over the years has invested $26 million into medical research. The grant from Auckland Airport will go towards giving 15 children and their parents a trip to Queenstown in the charity’s annual Ticket to Hope fun getaway. www.curekids.org.nz
Te Whakaruruhau: A Maori women’s refuge in Hamilton, this charity has helped thousands of women over the past 25 years. The $10,000 will go towards building play areas and a large playground for children who live at four safe houses the refuge runs.
Variety: Since 1989 Variety has given over $12 million to help sick, disabled and disadvantaged children. The grant from Auckland Airport will be used to buy iPads for up to 12 children with special needs in a bid to help develop their communication skills. www.variety.org.nz