Bees feeding on a pōhutukawa flower at Altrusa Te Awamutu Home and Garden Ramble in 2022. Photo / Kate Durie
Bees feeding on a pōhutukawa flower at Altrusa Te Awamutu Home and Garden Ramble in 2022. Photo / Kate Durie
Altrusa Te Awamutu is hosting its 28th Home and Garden Ramble on Sunday, November 5.
This year Altrusa Te Awamutu is raising money for three worthy causes, Rewi Street Kindergarten, Assistance Dogs Trust, and Cancer Society Waikato/Bay of Plenty.
Rewi Street Kindergarten is a not-for-profit community-based early childhood education centre. The group is working on a “Mara Kai Upgrade” project.
Rewi Street Kindergarten children at play.
New Kai regulations that came into force in January 2021 restricted free access for tamariki to produce from the mara kai where some kai needs to be altered/cooked/cut or grated before tamariki can eat this food in a designated kai area.
Temporary fencing was installed around the mara kai (vegetable garden) and the kindy will be using funds from the garden ramble to erect a new permanent fencing solution which ensures the overall safety of tamariki while also allowing for easy access with pedestrian gates. The design includes a waharoa (entranceway) for its cultural significance in the entrance to the mara kai.
Assistance Dogs New Zealand Trust (ADNZT) is a registered charitable trust, that provides purpose-trained dogs to enrich the lives of New Zealanders living with a disability. The trust is committed to providing a quality service which evaluates each applicant individually, in order to meet their specific needs.
Puppy, Jay Jay, is in training with Assistance Dogs New Zealand Trust.
Seventy-two per cent of the trust’s clients are children and young adults under 20 years old, and 50 per cent of Altrusa clients live with autism and often multiple disorders.
Clients and their families describe the arrival of their assistance dog as “life-changing”. As a nationwide organisation, it has government-granted public rights access for all ADNZ dogs under the Human Rights Act 1993 and Dog Control Act 1996.
The trust is a member of, and internationally accredited by, Assistance Dogs International and is incredibly proud of the high standard of dogs they provide clients throughout the country.
Cancer Society supportive care nurse, Leoni Lawry, provides advice and support to people with cancer in Te Awamutu.
Cancer Society nurse, Leoni Lawry, supports those in Te Awamutu and the surrounding areas with advice, information and a listening ear.
A cancer diagnosis is often an immensely difficult time for families, and having the support of the Cancer Society can make an immeasurable difference in a person’s cancer experience.
Through talking with a nurse like Leoni, clients are given the tools to understand and manage their cancer diagnosis. The Cancer Society is not directly government-funded and relies on community support to provide vital, free services in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
These services include transport to and from cancer treatment, support groups, accommodation at the Cancer Society’s Lions Lodge close to Waikato Hospital, and access to counselling.
Support groups provide a safe environment for people with cancer and their whānau.
Fundraising initiatives, such as the November Home and Garden Ramble, help keep this vital support running in the community to ensure that no one faces cancer alone.
In the past year, the Cancer Society Waikato/Bay of Plenty has: Provided 9442 contacts with a supportive care nurse, driven 79,733km transporting clients to treatment, received 1006 new clients and accommodated 1857 guests at the Cancer Society’s Lions Lodge.
Altrusans have been very busy sourcing sponsorship for the event and would like to thank Gold Sponsor Mark Weal (LJ Hooker) and Silver Sponsors Team 7, Val Hammond, First National and Ridgeline Homes, Te Awamutu.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor please email altrusata@gmail.com
Spokesperson Leanne Milligan says that the Home and Garden Ramble provides a great day out, inspiration for those looking to renovate or develop homes and gardens and an opportunity to help three charities make a real difference to families in our community.
