Skydiving for St John: Friends in their 90s to jump out of plane to raise $300k

Two people in their 90s are preparing to jump out of a plane to help raise money for Tauranga first responders.

Greenwood Park residents Jean Crabtree, 94, and John Rowlandson, 96, are two of 18 individuals skydiving on April 18, aiming to raise $300,000 for Hato Hone St John.

Village residents, extended family and staff are getting involved, and it was expected more would join in the coming weeks. Participants are aged between 14 and 96.

Crabtree, who is leading the initiative, has decided the money will go towards a new ambulance.

Asked why St John was the charity of choice, she replied: “If you saw the number of times the ambulance comes into Greenwood Park - you wouldn’t ask that question.”

Crabtree and Rowlandson both said they wanted to prove they could take on the challenge.

“If people say I can’t do something, I do it. It’s a challenge, and I have to prove that I can. It has always been like that,” she said.

“Don’t write us off just yet.”

The idea to fundraise emerged after Crabtree saw an ambulance with another retirement village’s name branded on it. She was determined to do the same for Greenwood Park.

She started the birthday tradition of skydiving for the first time at 85 and did it again five years later. Afterward, she decided to rally a large group to jump together the year of her 95th birthday.

That’s when the idea “exploded”, and it was suggested she use the opportunity to raise funds for a good cause.

She had asked “well over” 100 people to join her and “kept a list of the people” who agreed to do it.

There was a “tremendous lot of negative hype” about skydiving, and people had the “wrong idea” if they thought it was scary, she said.

“There is nothing to be frightened of - the most awkward part is the noise going up on the plane and sitting with your feet straight out with no support on your back.”

Her daughter, granddaughter and great-grandaughter were part of the group, and Crabtree said she was lucky to have four generations of family get behind the cause.

The pair are both ready to take on the challenge. Photo / Alex Cairns

John Rowlandson, who is an avid Scottish country dancer, said Crabtree convinced him to join the initiative at the end of last year after he had been mulling it over for a while.

The pair had been friends since Crabtree moved into Greenwood Park about five years ago.

“Before I saw Jean I was thinking about it, but I just needed that little push to do it.”

He was not afraid of heights, and thought it was “wonderful” he was healthy enough to skydive at the age of 96.

Some people had told Rowlandson he was “mad”, but he was “not nervous at all”.

“Jean and I have a pact - when she is 100, we will do it again. At that stage, I reckon we will be able to really cream the money.”

“I have booked for 100, but I am not quite sure. Watch this space,” Crabtree added.

Tristan Webb and Gulliame Calmelet, who own Skydive Tauranga, took Crabtree skydiving on her 90th birthday.

Webb had only seen a handful of people older than 90 skydive, saying it was “definitely unique”. However, he said many in their 70s and 80s took up the challenge, describing it as a “bucket-list item” for them.

The business owners were stoked to be part of an initiative supporting St John and would give the group a discounted rate.

Everyone taking part in the challenge was paying their own free, and all funds raised will go directly to St John.

People can donate to the cause on the Sky Dive 95 website.

St John was approached for comment.