Last Saturday approximately 70 individual walkers and teams set off at the crack of dawn to walk the fundraiser trek for local girl, Atea Kahutapu Haenga – Te Wheoro. Leaving the golf course at 5am, they embarked on a 43-kilometre walk around Mt. Karioi with the last walkers crossing the finish line a solid ten hours later. “It wasn’t a race but the front runners made it competitive! The younger and fitter participants were definitely pushing themselves a bit,” said organiser Dave Hanna.
With major sponsors Greenslade Excavations and Ray White Raglan providing support to the group of walkers along with the St. John’s ambulance crew, the 70-strong contingent even had a mobile port-a-loo follow them around the mountain. While the West Coast walk took place, a similar fundraiser of 43kms was held over on the East Coast as well, organised by Atea’s mother’s family in Gisborne. “For me personally, it was such a neat experience to see all the family and friends come together and working to turn this walk into a great event,” said Dave Hanna (Pictured)
All funds will go toward helping the family with on-going medical and transportation costs for Atea – who was recently diagnosed with a Wilms’ tumour in her right kidney. While the final figures for how much was raised are yet to come in, organisers were wrapped about the day’s success. So successful in fact that they hope to turn the walk into an inaugural event to raise funds for a different charity every year.
Thanks also to:
| Tony Sayer | St Johns |
| Herbal dispensary | Maori Wardens |
| Waka arma | Raglan Golf Club |
| Nanies | Ruapuke camp ground |
| Peter Storey | Raglan fire service |
| Sharon Batt | Kevin Ormsby |
| Kohanga Reo | Topcut Butcheries |
| Julie and Fraser haenga | WDC |
| All drivers supporting walkers | All the people who donated to Atea |
| Raglan area School | Gillet Whanau |
Westpac Raglan has an a/c open for any donations to Atea. Big thanks to whanau and friends from Simon and Jamie Te whero
.