Staff from the ANZ building wearing shorts for Shorts4Waipuna. Photo/George Novak
Staff from the ANZ building wearing shorts for Shorts4Waipuna. Photo/George Novak
Short shorts, flower covered shorts and denim shorts all strutted down a cat walk in support of Waipuna Hospice.
Shorts for Waipuna saw several business in the Tauranga CBD strip off their winter longs and trade them in for a pair of shorts yesterday, on the shortest day of the year.
Waipuna Hospice fundraising manager Trish Rae said Shorts4Waipuna was an initiative set up to raise much need awareness and funds for the organisation.
"It's all about recognising life is short, life is short for anybody. Obviously for our patients life is shorter still.
"Wearing shorts on the shortest day was a good campaign to raise awareness. Through wearing some outrageous things we were able to raise some eyebrows to raise that awareness and much needed funds for the hospice."
Blair Cashmore wears shorts for Waipuna Hospice. Photo/George Novak
Mrs Rae said a number of businesses and schools had got behind the initiative which was great to see.
Mrs Rae said the Waipuna Hospice were encouraging people to value things that were important in their life.
"I have been in my role for 14 years, we have seen pre-school patients, teenagers, mums and dads with young children. A life ending illness can strike anyone at any time. You never know what is round the corner."
Mrs Rae urged people to embrace the Shorts4Waipuna campaign, which was designed for people to have a bit of a laugh with.
"It's good for people to recognise sometimes you get really busy in your life, stop for a moment and really think about what was important.
Staff from the ANZ building wearing shorts for Shorts4Waipuna. Photo/George Novak
"The people who were important to you, the thing that are important to you. Rather than living life in a blur. Many people do not have the privilege of reaching those goals. Things get in the way, like illness, accident, injury."
Mrs Rae said a final count of the fundraising had not been tallied up yet but she was excited to do the campaign again next year.
She thanked the community for their ongoing support, she said.
"I'm so pleased to see so many people embraced it, and have fun doing it.
"People often think that hospice is a grim place, it's not that at all. It's full of life, laughter and of course tears at times. Hospice is very much about celebrating life, and enjoying the time people have remaining."
