Volunteers Marta Youngman and Mary Witham pick daffodils to sell on Daffodil Day.
Volunteers Marta Youngman and Mary Witham pick daffodils to sell on Daffodil Day.
Despite the economic conditions and inclement weather, Daffodil Day in Tararua was a success, with a generous district-wide response from the public.
Cancer Society volunteers from various branches gathered to raise almost $20,000, with counting still in progress.
They did this by selling daffodils — 15 Dannevirke volunteers picking more than 800 on Thursday.
Glenys Pryde arranged to pick the Woodville flowers early and sold them at the Woodville races in early August. The rest were eagerly snapped up at the Caltex service station.
Glenys also had a stall outside Four Square, tapping into local spending habits and through traffic despite NZTA Waka Kotahi doing road testing with cones everywhere. Her team raised significantly more funds than they did last year.
Woodville resident Veronica Smith makes a purchase from volunteer Dinny Davidson outside Four Square.
Cancer Society supplies coming from Manawatū, such as teddies and miniature live daffodil plants, have been steadily diminishing in recent years but were supplemented by residents creating their own — knitters making teddies and tissue holders, bakers producing cookies and jams.
There were raffles supported by local businesses such as High Street Bistro, Dannevirke Pharmacy and Shires Vege Market.
Dannevirke had five stalls on Friday and two on Saturday, with members of the Men’s Cancer Support Group visiting the shops on Friday and Saturday morning to gain even more sales. Proceeds from the two days totalled $6500.
Barbara Ferguson, June Elmore and Erin Connors had daffodils for sale in Dannevirke’s High St.
In the south, thunderstorms and hail pounded the stalls in Pahīatua and Eketāhuna, forcing sellers to seek cover for themselves and their goods. Nevertheless, sales boomed once the weather had passed through.
Across the Tararua the theme was the same — visitors who came to the stalls came to buy but also to donate to the Cancer Society, and the donations were generous — $20 and $50 notes quite common often for no return of goods.
Heather Martin and Debbie Sowerby were delighted to receive a large donation.
One group organiser thinks the nationwide Cancer Society advertising campaign warning “you may be next” highlighted the threat and people responded accordingly.
Manawatū Cancer Society supportive care co-ordinator Cherie Rissetto, who toured the four main centres on Friday, said she was thrilled with the many volunteers manning the stalls in all weathers. She said she was grateful to those who donated to the fight against the disease and the support of its victims.
