Jim Farley, front, presented the Ode to the Haggis, at the Freemasons, Rawhiti Lodge No 66 fundraiser last Saturday night
Jim Farley, front, presented the Ode to the Haggis, at the Freemasons, Rawhiti Lodge No 66 fundraiser last Saturday night
There is a real social need in Dannevirke and at Christmas that need can often become a crisis.
This year a group of Guardian Angels have stepped up to help by providing a free Christmas dinner for 160 in the Dannevirke Town Hall, with a major contribution to costs coming from a special Scottish Festival fundraiser organised by Dannevirke's Rawhiti Lodge No. 66.
Craig MacMillan, a Dannevirke doctor, plays a pipe solo at the Scottish Festival fundraiser at the Dannevirke and Services Citizens Club.
Last Saturday night the Freemasons went all out at the festival at the Dannevirke Services and Citizens Club, raising $3300, with $2600 donated to the Guardian Angels Christmas Day project. The balance will be spent on other local charity projects.
Donna and Murray De'Admin of the Akitio Rural Fire Force, founders of the Guardian Angels, said they were thrilled with the donation from Dannevirke's Rawhiti Lodge No. 66.
"This was a fantastic effort, a wonderful fundraiser and it makes the Guardian Angels' efforts in providing Christmas dinner in Dannevirke that much easier," Donna said. "The Freemasons are a fantastic group and the evening showed how much our community cares."
Celtic Cuz duo, Paddy and Ngaroma Driver entertained at the Scottish Festival fundraiser.
More than 150 attended the evening, including musicians from the Dannevirke Brass Band and the Highland Pipe Band. One of the highlights for many was the stunning combined band performance, with the crescendo of music almost raising the roof of the club.
For Freemason Frank Kay, another highlight was the organ and pipes combining. "It was wonderful," he said.
The Guardian Angels are a group who saw a need in our community and responded, Tararua District mayor Tracey Collis said.
"What surprised me was when I was told how many pies are sold here on Christmas Day. It's the biggest pie sales of the year and it's heartbreaking," she said.
"But now, everyone is chipping in because the need is so huge, more than anything people are so generous. The Guardian Angels haven't had to ask, people are just donating."
Invitations for the Christmas Day meal have been made by Tararua District Council staff in their own time and the enthusiasm for the project is growing and growing.
The Dannevirke Brass Band playing at the Guardian Angels fundraiser.
"We are all looking forward to giving those in need a warm family and community-caring Christmas," Collis said.
The $2600 donated to the Guardian Angels by the Freemasons comes on top of $600 previously given to the project.
"It was a great night and a heck of a lot more people attended than we expected," Rawhiti Lodge member Paddy Driver said. "It was an incredible night."
A charity auction, conducted by Wayne McDonagh of Patrick and Scott: The Professionals included a wide array of goods and services, including two, two-tooth sheep, cut up and delivered, donated by Murray De'Admin, which went for $200 and $190.
Other items, donated by local businesses, included knives, which were suggested as a good tool for Collis to cut local rates, vouchers, an All Blacks training shirt and a trailer of dry firewood.
