Artists And Fashion House Step Up To Save Life
Laura Marie is a young girl living in Honduras whom I meet when I lived there for 6 months. She has a cranial tumour
that is both life threatening and debilitating. I came back to New Zealand knowing that I was in a position to help her
and so I set about organising an art auction fiesta in which many Wellington artists participated.
People such as Katie Houghton Ward, Simon Morse and Mephisto Jones generously donated original art works to be auctioned
off at the fiesta in order to raise the money required to get Laura Marie life saving surgery.
The fiesta itself was a complete celebration of the 'art of giving' with over 300 people attending and huge support from
local and national businesses made the evening a hospitable success. Bidding went well and a potential 5000. was raised.
Two month later and a rather sad turn of events meant that the money had ended up in the wrong hands and as a direct
result it was never handed over to the Laura Marie Trust.
This created a huge response from Wellingtons business and the community, such as Slowboat Records and the Malaysian
Students Association - resulting in donations being made to the Trust in response to this saddening turn in events. A
particularly generous offer came from Sophie Voon, who offered to donate her entire Sunday takings' to Laura Marie.
On Sunday the 12th of August Sophie Voon stepped up and reduced her winter range by up to 50% and set about selling this
line for the benefit of this little lady in Honduras. Sophie donated $7800 to the Laura Marie Trust and she is an
example of putting the unity into community.
Sophie effectively has saved this girls life and has given her a wonderful gift that cannot be expressed adequately.
Life in Honduras has no real promise of a future for the majority of Hondurans- especially those who are ill - and yet
Laura Marie will receive not only her health as a direct result of Sophies generosity but also hope - she is receiving
an absolute gift of unconditional love.
Trust Details - The Laura Marie Project Trust
06 0582 0300467 00
*Elizabeth Brown *
ENDS