Apes Games participants raise $7000 for Rotorua’s Graeme Dingle Foundation programmes

Apes Games director Dave Gallagher presenting the $7000 cheque to Graeme Dingle Foundation Rotorua general manager Nicola Smallwood at the closing ceremony. Photo / Andrew Warner

Competitors at the Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games not only gave their all in a range of sports, but also raised $7000 for the local branch of the Graeme Dingle Foundation.

Featuring both domestic and international competitors, the games were hosted in Rotorua last week, and the foundation was the games’ charity partner this year.

Graeme Dingle Foundation Rotorua general manager Nicola Smallwood says it was a real privilege to have this money raised by participants.

“Some of the organisations participating rely on donations themselves, so it was really humbling to be chosen as the charity partner and to get gifted donations [amounting to] $7000. Ngā mihi nui to all the competitors.”

Nicola says they will be putting the funds towards the foundation’s programmes, supporting 1500 local tamariki and rangatahi to realise their potential.

“We partner with six incredible kura in Rotorua. The schools recognise the needs of their ākonga [students], and we work with them to provide fun, interactive programmes to support those needs.”

She says it is incredible to be able to host large events again, and the Apes Games was an opportunity to showcase what Rotorua has to offer - whether that’s the manaakitanga of the volunteers that got involved, the local kai enjoyed or any of our awesome tourism experiences.

“Not to mention the 50-plus sports. I chatted to the team from the Cook Islands, and they played ten-pin bowling for the first time – they even won.”

Nicola says the foundation is always looking for mentors for its programmes.

“You get full training, and if you want to give back to rangatahi and the local community in a practical, tangible way, it’s awesome.

“We’ll be launching Drop Your Boss around July, which is an opportunity to throw the boss in your life off a bungy and support the foundation. Keep up to date on Facebook or Instagram for more information.”

Apes Games sports manager Graham Perks says it was really humbling to see the contributions that the competitors made with donations.

He says it was great knowing it was going to a local group in Rotorua, and that it would go towards the work Graeme Dingle Foundation did with local schools.

Graham says during the event’s opening ceremony, there were foundation volunteers and student representatives leading the different states and countries.

“It was great to have them involved in the opening ceremony like that as our charity partners”.

For more information on mentoring opportunities with Graeme Dingle Foundation, go to www.magicofmentoring.org.nz or dinglefoundation.org.nz/mentoring/.