Small Communities Helping Big Communities

SMALL COMMUNITIES HELPING BIG COMMUNITIES

Contact Epic land owners have made generous offers of financial support for those affected in Christchurch by the earthquake.

The owners of the Dingle Burn High Country Station have pledged all funds that would normally be paid to them for the use of their land in the Contact Epic—NZ’s Ultimate Mountain Bike Challenge to the Canterbury Earthquake Relief Fund.

The station managers, Greg Dickson and Brigette Mead, along with other family members have in the past set up a tea and scone station three quarters of the way around this 125km circumnavigation of Lake Hawea, next to Wanaka. Competitors were asked to make a donation to the correspondence schooling of the children who are educated in this extremely remote location. They too have offered all donations made at the tea and scone ‘café’ to be donated to the Relief Fund. In fact, is was actually the children whose education normally benefits from this ‘café’ that made the suggestion.

The owners of the Hunter Valley Station have made a great gesture to the students of Christchurch. They will cover the entry costs for up to 10 Universtiy of Canterbury or Lincoln University students or any student attending a Christchurch High School at the time of the quake. All interested students need do is e-mail the race director on www.contactepic.co.nz before March 30 and arrangements can be made from there.

“ The Hawea Community are reknowned for their community spirit,” said race director Danielle Nicholson. “These families are a great example of how big the hearts and generosity of people around here are. They are using the Contact Epic as a way to benefit many people slightly further afield.”

Not only the community that house the event have an opportunity to raise funds, but so too do the competitor community. Contact Epic has joined in with Fundraise on line to allow competitors to gain sponsorship for their adventure that can go straight to the Red Cross Relief Fund. This way those who are in remote locations can also join in fundraising efforts and provide greater effort to train for the day!

The Contact Epic –NZ’s Ultimate MTB Challenge is set to start for the fourth time on April 16 this year. It has helped to raise over $100,000 for the Hawea Community to date and will, with the assistance of Contact Energy continue to do so this year.

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