Press release from Heart Children Central Otago
Thursday 29 March, 2007

Hamish Carter to help local hearts

Local charity, Heart Children Central Otago, will add pace to their fifth annual fundraising line-up on Friday 27 April with support from national sporting legend, Hamish Carter.

Hamish will host the evening prize-giving for the annual fundraising Golf Tournament which kicks off at 11am at Millbrook’s award-winning championship course. He will also attend the Gala Dinner & Auction that evening (Friday 27 April) at Queenstown’s Millennium Hotel.

Heart Children Central Otago is an independent local charity, raising funds in the Central Otago region which are then used to benefit children living there.

“This is our one big funding drive of the year, so we’ve pulled out all the stops,” said Fiona Moran, Heart Children Central Otago spokesperson.

“Securing support from Hamish means a great deal to us. He’s an inspirational character and we know that everyone, including our heart children, will get a real kick from meeting him.”

His trip to Queenstown for the fundraising event will be Carter’s first since September 2006.

“I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to support Heart Children Central Otago. Anything I can do to help raise money for heart children, whose lives can be incredibly hard, makes this one of the most rewarding opportunities to come from winning a gold medal,” said Carter.

“I spent quite a bit of time in Queenstown during the World Triathlon Championships in 2003. It’s a very special part of the country and seems to draw people back. As a destination it’s pristine and I’d live there if I could ever find the right job.”

New Zealand’s only specialist paediatric cardiac unit at Auckland’s Starship Hospital treats more than 1,000 children annually, but almost 70% of them live outside the Auckland region.

That’s where Heart Children Central Otago comes in, supporting families taking their children for treatment in Auckland and elsewhere, and providing ongoing family support.

“Funds raised from last year’s charity event sent local heart children to the Bravehearts Camp at Levin and the Teen Camp at Auckland. We also provided vital emergency support to families sent to hospital in Dunedin and Auckland,” said Moran.

This year’s Golf Tournament prizes, including an autographed and personalised message from Jack Nicklaus, a Siberia experience featuring helicopter/jet boat/hike into Makarora Lodge for a champagne lunch, and award-winning wines are expected to attract a strong field of golfers.

A first for this year is a stand-alone Gala Dinner and Auction in addition to the Golf Tournament, to which locals are also invited to attend.

“It’s going to be a star-studded event at which Hamish will play a key part, and we’re finalising arrangements for a few more famous faces. Guests may well go home with a very special auction prize too. We’re auctioning the chance for one bidder and friends to take a morning run with Hamish,” said Moran.

Twelve hospitality, accommodation, culinary and adventure experience packages will also be auctioned during the evening, and Arrowtown musician Neil Chilton will entertain.

The evening will feature guests including comic and ‘healthy thinking’ guru, Dr Tom Mulholland, and Dr Tom Gentles, Paediatric Cardiologist from Starship Children’s Hospital.

Tickets for the Golf Tournament and Gala Dinner cost $150 per person. Teams and individual players are welcomed. The Gala Dinner and Auction is $70 per person.

Tickets are available from The Flight Centre stores on Queenstown’s Shotover Street and at Remarkables Park, and from the Millennium Hotel.

Event sponsors include Shotover Jet, Classic Hits, Print Central, Skyline Enterprises, Millbrook Resort, Peregrine Wines, Millennium Hotel Queenstown, Flight Centre and Pisa Moorings (2003).

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