Annual quiz boost for air rescue service

Greytown Lions president Ian Farley said Life Flight was "used a heck of a lot here in Wairarapa" and, costing $2500 a mission, deserved community support. PHOTO/FILE

Greytown Lions and Lionesses aim to raise $5000 at their annual quiz night next Friday for the Life Flight Trust which last year saved 212 people in Wairarapa.

The quiz will be held at the South Wairarapa Workingmen's Club starting at 7pm.

Greytown Lions president Ian Farley said Life Flight was "used a heck of a lot here in Wairarapa" and it required the community's support because it cost the service $2500 on average a mission.

The Westpac rescue helicopter saves on average four people in the district a week. In two years, the helicopter crew saved 378 people on this side of the hill.

"The chopper -- for the big rural area that we are in -- is an extremely valuable and important asset for the whole Wairarapa and Wellington region," said Mr Farley.

"If someone has an accident in Ngawi you're not going to get an ambulance out there quick enough. Or if someone is injured at the top of the Tararuas, [Life Flight] can put a chopper up there."

He said last year's Lions and Lionesses quiz night raised $20,000 for Greytown mother-of-three and multiple sclerosis battler Nikki Regnault for her stem cell treatment.

"That was by far our most successful quiz night ever and I don't think we're going to emulate that again, but when you see how many times Life Flight have come over to Wairarapa in the last 12 months that's a heck of a lot of lives saved."

Already $1281 has been raised for Life Flight by the Greytown Lions through a raffle which was organised by Richard Vidulich, who is also organising the quiz. The raffle to win a trailer load of firewood will be drawn on quiz night.

Greytown and Martinborough business had donated spot prizes for the night and the Lionesses would be holding their own raffle and providing a light supper. Entry forms can be collected from South Wairarapa Computers, 2 Hastwell St, from the Greytown School library between 9am-3pm, or online from Greytown Lions Facebook/web pages.