At age 94, Jean Crabtree recently braved a skydive with a group that included other residents and staff at the Greenwood Park Retirement Village in Tauranga where she lives - as well as family members - to raise funds for Hato Hone St John.
The team jump contributed $45,000 towards a lofty goal of raising $120,000 to help towards local emergency ambulance services.
Asked why they did it, Crabtree says: “If you saw the number of times the ambulance comes into Greenwood Park, you wouldn’t ask that question. (But) if people say I can’t do something, I do it. It’s a challenge and I have to prove that I can; it’s always been like that.”
The jump was not her first skydive. She started a birthday tradition of skydiving when she turned 85 and did it again five years later at 90. Ahead of her 95th birthday, she decided to rally a large group to jump together - an idea which morphed into a fundraiser for Hato Hone St John when it was suggested she use it as an opportunity to help a good cause.
Leanne Tiscornia, Hato Hone St John’s Head of Fundraising, says the commitment of Crabtree and her team is amazing. “Jean, her family and the whole team at Greenwood Park, are fearless both skydiving and in their dedication to Hato Hone St John; they are truly inspirational.
“We appreciate all donations and with this help, they will reach their target.” she says. “It is people like Jean and the team at Greenwood Park that mean we can get new ambulances with the latest lifesaving equipment on board and provide much needed health services in the community. They really make a difference for New Zealanders when they need it most.”
Crabtree says there is nothing to be frightened of when skydiving. “There is a tremendous lot of negative hype (about skydiving) but people had the wrong idea if they thought it was scary. The most awkward part is the noise going up in the plane and sitting with your feet straight out with no support on your back.”
Eighteen took part in the jump through Skydive Tauranga including four generations of Crabtree’s family - herself, her son, granddaughter and great-granddaughter.
One of Crabtree’s friends at the village, 96-year-old John Rowlandson, also made the jump after Crabtree gave him “a little push to do it”. The pair enjoyed it so much, they are already planning another.
Donations can be made to Jean’s fundraiser for Hato Hone St John at lighttheway/greenwood-park or Hato Hone St John Annual Appeal at lighttheway and at any ASB branch across the country.