Woodville Lions donate huge sum to rescue helicopter

Woodville Lions president Mike James (left), with winner of the Suzuki UK 110 scooter Janelle Hazlitt, and Courtesy Motorcycles owner Phil Turnbull.

Despite a disappointing turnout by riders for their annual Coast to Coast motorcycle ride before Christmas, Woodville Lions still maintained their wonderful tradition of donating a large sum of money to help keep the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter flying.

This year, at its meeting on Monday, March 13, the total they donated was $18,250 which was raised entirely from the raffle of a Suzuki UK 110 scooter.

The total was gathered through the dedication of a group of Lions who worked a number of hours selling $10 tickets locally, but mostly at major retailers in Palmerston North, such as Bunnings and in the Plaza.

They were led by Lion Ron Mabey who initiated the raffle five years ago “in case something went wrong with the Coast to Coast”. It did this year when a dire weather forecast and dodgy-looking conditions early morning on December 10 resulted in only one-third of the normal 300 motorcyclists turning up at Himatangi to start the ride.

Woodville Lions, partners and guests tuck into a celebratory dinner.

“Oh well,” said one Lion, “we’ll just have to sell more raffle tickets.” And they did.

The winner of the scooter, Janelle Hazlitt, was at the Woodville Lions meeting with her husband Hayden and related how she gave her children permission to buy a ticket because the sellers took cash. She had a policy of spending on raffles only if the family had enough cash to cover it. The winning ticket was bought in the Plaza.

The donation from Woodville Lions has taken the total contributions over the 30 years the Coast to Coast has operated to more than $320,000, a sum evoking feelings Grass Roots Trust Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter base manager Graeme Spiers said he felt impossible to put into words.

He gave it his best shot, saying for such a small town as Woodville to contribute so much to a service that covers a vast area from Ruapehu to Wellington and out to the coast was amazing.

He went on to report that during the Cyclone Gabrielle emergency, the Grass Roots Trust supplied 10 fully crewed helicopters from its eight bases to rescue people off roofs, out of cars, and out of isolation and transfer them to safety.

Phil Turnbull of Courtesy Motorcycles said he was delighted to again work with such a great group of Lions for such a great cause.