Challenge To Cure Kids Raises Record $400,000

Accor $10 Queenstown Challenge To Cure Kids Raises Record $400,000 For Medical Research Ito Children’s Illnesses

October 3 2008: The Accor $10 Queenstown Challenge to Cure Kids has raised a record $400,000 after 28 teams competed in the three day event from Auckland to Queenstown, putting the spotlight on the charity and its medical research goals.

Competitors in the event have to make their way through the country with just $10 in their pocket, and this year the focus was on undergoing a series of innovative challenges en route, prepared by Clued Up.

After three days and a tally of points earned through the diverse range of challenges, top honours went to the Accor Head Office team of Victoria Frost and her mother Anne Nielsen, racing under the banner of the Swat Squad, with 567 points. The ZM Auckland team of Mark Dye and Lee Densem was second on 563 points and third place went to the Navy Brass Monkeys team of Auckland represented by Fraser Toulmin and Darcy Topp, who accrued 558 points.

Victoria Frost competed in the event for the third time. “This was the best yet. The new challenges format took off the pressure of racing to get to Queenstown first and as a group we all worked a lot more together. It was fantastic.”

“Over the three years I have raised close to $27,000. Cure Kids is a wonderful organisation which is doing great things for children. They have been a big part of my working life with Accor and I feel privileged to be able to help them again through this event.”

Before departing Christchurch the teams were challenged to lie down in the Christchurch Square and use their bodies to create the words Cure Kids. At Geraldine they needed to find key items in a medieval mosaic and in Queenstown one of the team members had to bungy jump either at the Kawarau Bridge or at the Ledge above the town.

The first team to cross the finish line at the Novotel Queenstown Lakeside was the Budget Rent A Car team, the Queenstown Budget Delights from Cromwell. The mother and daughter team of Trish McKay and Christina Sharpe-McKay arrived at 2.12pm followed by the ZM Auckland team of Mark Dye and Lee Densem at 2.22pm. Team Airforce Steps Up, comprising Barbara Finlayson and Sean McKeogh, finished in third place at 2.38pm.

Teams entering the event had to raise a minimum of $7000 but some went the extra mile and this year’s Champion Fundraising Trophy was won by The Buxom Blondes, Michele Cadman and Charmaine Borland of the Cock and Bull pub team from Auckland.

The pair raised $26,617 to take out the trophy. “Most of the money was collected in donation boxes in our pubs,” says Michelle. “We had great support from people and from our security guards who rattled the boxes for us. We are thrilled to have raised so much for Cure Kids. It’s been an amazing experience and a great feeling of camaraderie amongst the teams. But the most special thing has been meeting the young children, they are all so grateful for what we have been doing.”

The Aegis Angels team of Tracey Jones and Nikki Perston of Auckland raised 22,191 to be named runner-up. The Downers Dynamic Duo, Anna Beukes and Jody Dickason from Downer EDI Engineering in Otahuhu were third raising $19,246.

“These amounts are exceptional,” says Cure Kids General Manager Simon Duffy. “Everyone involved in the race this year including competitors, sponsors and supporters have combined to raise a record amount of money and increase the Cure Kids profile throughout the country. The event just gets bigger every year and it’s an absolutely outstanding result.”

Title sponsor Accor has a strong partnership with Cure Kids and the hotel group sponsors the event each year. This year three teams made up of their employees participated. On their journey from Auckland to Queenstown all the teams and event crew stay at some of Accor’s 29 hotels throughout New Zealand.

Other major sponsors for the 2008 Accor $10 Queenstown Challenge to Cure Kids are Classic Hits, Fairfax Media, Gen-I, Kia Motors, Rebel Sport, Qantas and Youthtown.

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