Michelle Greer from Ray White Timaru will be taking part in the Variety Trillian Mini-Bash held in Auckland on October 16. She and a Christchurch-based friend will be taking a two-day road trip to Auckland in Greer’s 1972 Dodge Challenger to take part in the charity event.
The variety bash is a “quirky car rally” over three days weekend. Participants dress up and in their special cars visit kids in hospital, schools and special needs agencies. Michelle is the only South Canterbury participant and of the estimated 100 taking part, she is travelling the longest distance to get there. “It’ll be a big adventure getting there in itself … Hopefully, it goes smoothly.”
It is her first time taking part and her first big trip in the vintage left-hand drive car. “We’ll have a few fuel stops.”
It was a colleague in Christchurch who convinced her once they found out she had the old vehicle she bought around ten years ago. On a whim, she said yes. “Sometimes you’ve got just to do these things.”
That same colleague will be travelling up in an old Land Rover. It will be a slow journey for them, and they want to set off at 6.30am, Greer said. It cost $400 to take part in the bash, as well as paying the travel expenses. “People say, ‘why don’t you just donate the money?’ But the money is not going to cheer them [the kids] up.”
Along the way Michelle said they would stop in at other Ray White offices and get donations. As well as a variety of costumes to dress up in, they will also be taking lollies and toys to give the kids. This year marks the 16th annual Variety Trillian Mini-Bash.
Bash director Murray O’Donnell said it was designed as an introduction to the main bash that takes place in different cities each year in March. Next year, the bash will start in Levin and finish in Timaru. O’Donnell said they hoped to raise around $10,000 from the mini bash. “At the end of the day it’s all for the kiwi kids.”
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/72775369/local-real-estate-agents-to-take-part-in-the-variety-trillian-mini-bash
For more information, please contact Bash Director Murray O’Donnell bash@variety.org.nz