Solid Energy, West Coast Rotary and schools collect $17,600 to support rescue chopper

Efforts by Solid Energy staff, Rotarians and schools on the West Coast during May helped raise more than $17,600 for the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust, the fundraising body behind the Solid Energy Rescue Helicopter.

Solid Energy's West Coast sponsorship coordinator Mary Wilson presented a cheque to the Trust's West Coast Deputy Chair, Jan Coll, in Westport this morning.

May was Awareness Month for the rescue service on the West Coast and Canterbury, with the main public fundraising effort centred around a street collection on 11 May. Money from public fundraising covers about a third of the trust's operational costs, while sponsorship such as Solid Energy's for the West Coast helicopter covers another third. The remainder comes from payments from ACC and hospitals.

Fundraising by Solid Energy staff on the West Coast in May resulted in about $9,700 in donations from individuals and companies. About $6,700 was collected during the street appeal, with Rotary club members and children from schools along the Coast assisting. In Christchurch, Solid Energy staff collected about $1,500 on appeal day.

"It was a great community effort this year, raising about double last year's total," Mary Wilson says. "It was. particularly pleasing the number of companies which responded to our letter and made donations this year. Many schools also pitched in, holding mufti days or a coin trail."

The West Coast Rescue Helicopter is one of Solid Energy's major community support initiatives. The service began operating in 1997 and Solid Energy became the primary sponsor in 2001. The dedicated helicopter service operates from Karamea to Haast.

The Solid Energy Rescue Helicopter service is a partnership between the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust, Order of St John and Garden City Helicopters Ltd, which also operates the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and New Zealand Flying Doctor Service out of Christchurch.

ENDS

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