HEIRLOOM: Wayne Regnault with his family's 119-year-old surveyor's map of Greytown, which sold for $5000 at the auction. PHOTO/FILE
HEIRLOOM: Wayne Regnault with his family's 119-year-old surveyor's map of Greytown, which sold for $5000 at the auction. PHOTO/FILE
A quiz night and auction of some old South Wairarapa treasures has realised nearly $20,000 for a Greytown woman's lifesaving operation - and her family are "over the moon".
Proceeds from a Greytown Lions and Lioness quiz on Friday are going towards stem cell treatment for Greytown woman Nikki Regnault,who has been battling multiple sclerosis for 19 years.
More than 220 people - making up 56 teams - packed the South Wairarapa Working Men's Club for the quiz and supporting auction, for which the Greytown community donated various items. Mrs Regnault's husband Wayne said the event raised $19,000.
"It was an incredible night - the generosity from the public has been just overwhelming," Mr Regnault said. "There was a great energy on the night, and we're so grateful for everyone who made the effort to put it on ... It's a wonderful little community we live in."
The 27-item auction, hosted by Mike Perry of Wakefield Antiques, included dinner for two at a Wellington restaurant, a three-night visit to Castlepoint, and corporate tickets to New Zealand Warriors games.
The star of the show, however, was the 119-year-old surveyor's map of Greytown, contributed by Mr Regnault, which had been in his family for four generations.
The map, drawn by surveyor Thomas McKay Drummond, sold to a Greytown developer for $5000.
"The map's going to stay within the community, which is great," Mr Regnault said.
"It was a bit of a heartstring puller for us to see it go, but it's going to a fantastic cause."
Also going under the hammer was a bat crafted by the Greytown branch of Fearnley Cricket Shop, and signed by the 1982/83 New Zealand cricket team - including Sir Richard Hadlee and Jeremy Coney. The bat sold for $1000.
Mr Regnault had estimated the cost of his wife's treatment, which she will receive in Singapore, to be around $200,000.
The family has been told she will start the treatment in February next year. "We've got a bit of time to raise the last bit of cash," he said. "For now, we're going well - just putting one foot in front of the other."
