DB
Breweries
general
manager
Brian
Blake
presents
a
cheque
for
$250,000
to
Masterton
mayor
Bob
Francis
and
NWC
Trust
chairman
John
Bunny.(photo
Times
Age)
|
The
dawn
chorus
looks
set
to
become
louder
in
the
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
forest
after
$558,000
was
raised
in
a
major
fund
raising
campaign
in
the
Wairarapa.
The
fund
raising
campaign
was
led
by
Masterton
mayor
Bob
Francis
to
get
community
support
for
the
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
forest
restoration
project.
The
money
was
raised
during
a
five
month
long
Community
Challenge
campaign,
which
culminated
in
a
telethon
in
Masterton’s
new
Recreation
Centre
on
Saturday
6
November
2004.
It
will
secure
for
at
least
five
years
the
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
restoration
project
which,
since
it
commenced
in
May
2002,
has
already
enabled
kokako
and
kiwi
to
be
returned
to
the
forest.
Around
300
people
participated
in
the
12
hour
telethon,
the
climax
of
a
campaign
which
saw
local
businesses,
service
clubs,
community
groups
and
schools
challenging
others
in
the
community
to
match
and
beat
their
fundraising
efforts.
Representatives
from
major
sponsors
including
DB
Breweries
Limited,
Pharazyn
Trust,
Tranzit
Coachlines
(Wairarapa)
Limited,
Trust
House
Ltd
and
Oldfield
Group
Limited,
presented
cheques
to
the
value
of
$525,000
in
total.
DB
Breweries
contributed
a
whopping
$275,000
of
this.
Masterton
mayor
Bob
Francis,
one
of
the
main
drivers
behind
the
Community
Challenge,
said
it
was
a
“victory”
for
the
community
to
achieve
such
an
impressive
fundraising
result.
“We’re
absolutely
thrilled
with
the
level
of
support
shown
by
the
major
sponsors
and
the
community
who
have
really
embraced
this
fundraiser.
“It
has
lifted
the
profile
of
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
-
motivating
and
informing
the
community
of
what
we
have
out
there,
and
getting
schools
involved
and
recognising
its
significance.”
National
Wildlife
Centre
Trust
Chairman
John
Bunny
acknowledged
the
“superb
support”
from
the
community
and
local
and
national
sponsors.
“I’m
looking
forward
to
working
with
our
sponsors
over
the
next
five
years
on
the
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
restoration
project.”
Department
of
Conservation
Wairarapa
area
manager
Derrick
Field
said
with
the
viability
of
the
project
secured
for
five
years,
the
vision
of
returning
the
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
forest
“to
what
it
was
before
the
early
settlers
arrived”
was
closer
to
being
released.
“I’m
absolutely
thrilled
to
see
the
level
of
support
given
by
the
community
and
I
know
we
will
deliver
something
that’s
totally
unique
in
return.”
The
telethon
event
went
off
with
a
bang
with
hundreds
of
children
and
adults
attempting
to
set
the
southern
hemisphere
mass
participation
balloon
popping
record.
They
made
a
circle
around
the
massive
pile
of
balloons
on
the
floor
in
Masterton’s
new
Recreation
Centre
and,
at
a
signal,
jumped
on
them
until
they
had
all
been
popped.
“We’re
not
sure
if
they
broke
the
record,
but
it
was
certainly
impressive,”
balloon
pop
organiser
Glenys
Hansen
said.
A
line-up
of
bands
and
performers
entertained
the
crowds
at
the
centre
from
midday
through
until
around
midnight.
“There
was
an
impressive
line-up
of
local
talent,”
Mr
Bunny
said,
thanking
everyone
who
helped
make
the
telethon
event
such
a
success.
The
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
Community
Challenge
fundraising
campaign
was
kicked
off
in
mid-July
by
Masterton
Mayor
Bob
Francis
and
supported
by
Wairarapa
media
including
Hitz
89,
Wairarapa
Times
Age
and
Classic
Hits
and
the
Pukaha
partners;
The
National
Wildlife
Centre
Trust,
Rangitaane
O
Wairarapa
and
the
Department
of
Conservation.
These
organisations,
service
clubs
and
community
groups
have
combined
forces
to
back
a
region-wide
project
to
set
up
an
endowment
fund
to
aid
the
restoration
of
the
Pukaha
Mount
Bruce
forest
|
