The building in 2000 of a new children’s hospital at Middlemore
presented an ideal opportunity for clubs in Division 1 (Division 10 at the time) of
the New Zealand - South Pacific District of Kiwanis International to work together on
a project. Total cost of the hospital was $22 million
and there was a shortfall of $5 million, this gap to be bridged by
service clubs, organizations and corporates.
Pakuranga Club set the ball rolling by donating $1000 for a caregivers
bed and the other six clubs in the Division opted to combine resources
to purchase a life saving heart Defibrillator for the emergency
department at Kidz First at a cost of $12000. Decision made, the
clubs set about their fundraising.
Manukau Club held a fashion parade, Drury a garden party/luncheon,
Papatoetoe a garage sale, Howick a sausage sizzle, Papakura a barbecue
as well as collecting selling old car batteries and Waiau Pa-Clarks
Beach club donated some of the proceeds from their golf tournament.
Clubs also had the opportunity to step outside the square to fundraise
as a Division, firstly in January at "The Big Day Out" rock concert at
the Ericsson Stadium in Auckland. It was well named as far as our
members were concerned, a twelve hour day, the hottest day in January
with a crowd of 45,000 people. The task at hand was to check photo IDs
and to place a wristband on concertgoers over the age of eighteen and
some had to be seen to be believed!! The next divisional opportunity
was to work as film extras in a Walt Disney movie "Ready To Run" which
was filmed at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland for American cable TV.
A lot of fun, but alas none of our members were asked to give up their
day jobs!!
