Daffodil Day preparations under way in Tararua District

Frances Clarke and Verna Hutching picked daffodils to sell on Daffodil Day in 2022.

Daffodil Day organisation in the Tararua District has swung into action ready to meet the needs of those wanting to support the NZ Cancer Society in its fight against the disease.

From Eketāhuna to Norsewood and out to the coast, small bands of volunteers have gathered to assemble the merchandise and man the stalls for Friday, August 25.

In Eketāhuna, Maureen Te Wake and Heather Mayer will have a table outside the community store, from 8am-5pm, selling Cancer Society merchandise including travel cups, teatowels, pens, and tote bags with live daffodils in pots, a teddy bear raffle and a $100 note raffle as well.

In the evening they will visit the local hotel, fire brigade and club to gather more donations.

Pahīatua’s team, led by Lyn Crystal and Di Gray, has four raffles on the go outside New World Supermarket along with merchandise, and hopefully lots of daffodils, real and artificial. There are home-made gifts unique to Pahīatua – knitted animals and baking.

Glenys Pryde said she is sad Woodville is not hosting races this year, as she has done very well with her stall there in the past. Her team will be outside the Four Square Supermarket from Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm.

She says the major raffle is a huge refreshment basket, with more to come, and the daffodil merchandise will be supplemented by cookies.

Maureen Little bought daffodils from Heather Martin and Judy Holdem outside Just Gifts in Dannevirke in 2022.

Dannevirke offers five tables scattered down High St from Four Square to Flower Arrangements and outside New World Supermarket. One raffle with two equal prizes both worth $250 will be for sale.

Even the Dannevirke Bridge Club got into the act, Harold Orsborne selling to players on Saturday last year.

Sandra Haycock has a team of 30 to service the tables, and a group from the Men’s Cancer Support will sell on High St on Saturday morning.

Tararua Cancer Society supportive care co-ordinator Cherie Risetto says she is proud of the volunteer teams working throughout the Tararua and will be out on Daffodil Day to visit the teams and help.

Dave Murdoch is a part-time photo-journalist working for the Bush Telegraph and based at Dannevirke. He has covered any community story telling good news about the district for the last ten years.