Bay community leaders take a leap for charity

Eleven people were scheduled to jump yesterday for the charity event, called Drop Your Boss. Photo/John Borren

When the aircraft rose above the clouds, Pat Taylor jumped.

He was 3km above the earth, and he was one of several community leaders tandem-jumping by parachute to raise money and awareness for the Graeme Dingle Foundation.

After falling through the clouds, which was "just awesome", the parachute opened, and Mr Taylor experienced the "amazing feeling" and "relief, to be honest" of landing on terra firma.

"It was absolutely brilliant," he said. "I thought I'd be nervous as hell - but I wasn't."

Eleven people were scheduled to jump yesterday for the charity event, called Drop Your Boss.

The event, which runs every year, usually involves 20 bosses from around the country abseiling down highrise buildings.

This year, abseiling was unavailable, and skydiving was substituted.

Mr Taylor, QSM, is a justice of the peace who has worked with Rotary, Manukau Beautification Charitable Trust, the Motel Association of NZ and Hospitality NZ.

Other local participants included the Bay of Plenty District Health Board's Helen Mason, Classic Builders' Matt Lagerberg and Bay of Plenty Times head of news Sonya Bateson.

Last year $18,500 was raised for the foundation. Mr Taylor said he understood that more than $23,000 had so far been raised this year.

"People are so generous."

Across the Western Bay of Plenty, the foundation reaches 3000 children through Kiwi Can, Project K and their Stars programme.

The Graeme Dingle Foundation

Aims to "inspire school-age children to reach their full potential through programmes that help build self-esteem, promote good values and which teach valuable life, education and health skills".

Source: Graeme Dingle Foundation