Air New Zealand Supporting Kiwi Kids

Air New Zealand Supporting Kiwi Kids

Donates flights as Variety Trillian Bash fundraiser hits day two

Air New Zealand has donated a return ticket to Los Angeles for two, to help raise funds for disadvantaged Kiwi kids. But there’s a catch. Each of the 400 tickets will go on sale to teams raising funds for Variety – The Children’s Charity during the annual Variety Trillian Bash, currently in Ohakune, heading to Wellington on Monday 9.

The 30 eccentrically-decorated classic cars and fire engines taking part are carrying 180 people ready to entertain kids along the way, marshalled by a flotilla of officials in Ford cars and accompanied by a varied menu of celebrities, with actor Mark Wright, TVOne’s Simon Dallow, Suzy Cato, Super Hubert and veteran rocker Tom Sharplin. And all of them will be exhausted by the daily schedule of school visits and rural-community parades on the agenda.

“The teams that enter the Variety Trillian Bash road rally has already pledged thousands of dollars to the charity in aid of Kiwi kids in need of a hand-up,” says Bash coordinator Murray ‘Mojo’ O’Donnell. “And we’re keeping them working thanks to a punishing schedule that started with a kids’ surf contest in New Plymouth on March 7, and carries on for eight days, visiting up to four schools a day and driving over 1600km.”

AA and Air Force service crews are keeping the mostly classic vehilces in running order, but they could have their work cut out for them, and often they’re found bent over open bonnets late into the night, calling local enthusiasts for rare Holden or Cadillac parts to keep some ageing engine on track for the next day’s school visits.

“They’ll all need a holiday after that,” O’Donnell says, “so it’s fantastic that Air New Zealand is giving everyone a shot at an affordable holiday – with $25 tickets we should sell all 400, and make another $10,000 to go to Kiwi kids in need of a hand.”

Monday 9

Waiouru grants to kids 8.30-9.30

Mangaweka 10.10am

Kimbolton 11-12.15

Shannon school iPads Laptops for Learning 1.40-2.20

Tuesday 10 on steps of Parliament 9.15 am to meet John Key

10.35-12.15 school visits Lower Hutt

2pm Featherston School

4pm Cape Palliser

6.30pm Masterton arrive

ends

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