Business was brisk during a garage sale at the Whangarei Intermediate School to aid the sick young son of teacher Aaron Baigent.
An estimated $1000-plus was raised during the sale on Saturday morning to help the family of two and half year old Mostyn Baigent who has spent six months in Starship Hospital in Auckland with the movement disorder known as anti-NMDA (N-methyl D-asartate) receptor encephalitis.
Encephalitis is a brain inflammation causing Mostyn to thrash about with his arms and legs.
Community support for the family has included financial offers, lawn mowing and taking care of the other three children in the family.
The Northern Rugby Union is to install a donated heat pump in Mostyn's bedroom before he gets home from Starship.
Garage sale co-organiser Juliana Hoogeveen said a "really awesome" lawnmower was sold for $80 and other bargains in the sale included four mountain bikes "in really good nick" which went out the school hall door for about $50 each.
"A man who said he was a friend of Aaron's came in with a brand new fishing rod and reel which went for $150," Ms Hoogeveen said.
"We had some really good stuff."
Proceeds from the sale were to be counted today. Together with a fundraising hangi cooked by Wiremu Rankin, a mufti day and a whip around the staff, the school is estimated to have so far raised about $3500 for Mostyn, Ms Hoogeveen said.
An All Black is expected to attend a gala fundraising dinner being organised for Mostyn.