The Far North's three community boards have distributed tens of thousands of dollars to projects ranging from the restoration of one of New Zealand's oldest war memorials to an ultra-marathon on Ninety Mile Beach.
The latest round of grants by Te Hiku Community Board included $9667 to the Kaitaia War Memorial Restoration Group to restore lettering on the World War I Memorial at Remembrance Park; $6335 to the Araiawa Hall Society towards repairing and upgrading the community hall at Pukenui; $5000 to Te Houtaewa Trust towards the costs of staging Te Houtaewa Challenge marathon on Te Oneroa a Tohe (Ninety Mile Beach) on March 15 next year; and $3645 to the Mangonui Fire Brigade to help stage its annual Doubtless Bay Fishing Contest and auction fundraiser on January 25-26.
The Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board gave $2000 to Rawene Primary School to help host the annual Rawene Christmas Carnival on December 6; $2000 to Hokianga Tui Tuia Trust for an art exhibition at the Copthorne Hotel in December; and $1600 to Hokianga Hospital Auxiliary towards the costs of an oxygen concentrator to treat people with breathing difficulties.
The Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board gave $2500 each to groups in Kerikeri, Paihia, Kawakawa and Kaeo towards their Christmas parades; and $500 to Puketotara Landcare Care Group to buy poison and bait stations.
The group is working to eradicate rodents and possums in the Puketotara River area.
