Just keep paddling: From Motiti Island to the shore for Wairakei Kindergarten

Jimmy Dow will paddle from Motiti Island to shore to raise money for Wairakei Kindergarten to use on their outdoor area. Video / George Novak

Pāpāmoa's Jimmy Dow is set to put his endurance and balance to the test when he travels from Motiti Island to shore on his stand-up paddleboard.

The Motiti Island Mission is a fundraiser for Wairakei Kindergarten which all of Dow's children have attended or will attend in the future.

"I thought I might as well do it and make it a fundraiser. I've got four kids, two have been to the kindy, one still goes there and one will go to the kindy," Dow said.

"It's a not-for-profit kindy and I thought it would be quite cool to raise a bit of money for them."

The money raised will go towards outdoor improvements at the kindergarten. These include planting some yellow Pohutukawa trees for shade which, fittingly, originate on Motiti Island.

Jimmy Dow (centre) with his children Billy, 9 (left), Occy, 4, Zinnia, 6 and Duke the dog. Photo / George Novak

Dow said the kindergarten had done a lot for his whānau and many others.

"It's a wicked kindy. Sometimes you'll be in a rush to get to work but you still end up having a yarn to other parents and kids.

"It's really relaxed, everyone's happy and it has a good little vibe."

He was not sure how far the paddle would be but Google estimated the distance to be about 11km in a straight line. He hoped to complete the paddle within "a couple of hours".

Wairakei Kindergarten head teacher Julie Sullivan said what Dow had planned was "fantastic".

"They're a wonderful family," she said.

"They've been involved with our kindergarten since we opened six years ago, his wife was on our founding committee. They're really awesome community people and we're delighted, it's very generous of them."

All of Jimmy and Charlie Dow's children have attended or will attend Wairakei Kindergarten. Photo / George Novak

She said the kindergarten had a "natural playground" in the outdoor area and the money would go towards some improvements.

"We've been here six years and we have natural logs and things that we knew we would have to replace so that funding will help towards that.

"Last year, because of Covid, we didn't do any fundraising because we were really mindful that people might be affected by lockdown.

"We're community-based and donation-based so not doing any fundraising has delayed some of the things we were anticipating wanting to do. So, it's very lovely that James and Charlie thought about what they could do, they support everything we do."

Sullivan said the kindergarten had always aimed to be deeply integrated with its community.

"We like to engage our families. Our ethos really is we engage children from when they're really young. We have a playgroup so they can come in with mum and dad when they're babies then we have another group before they start kindergarten.

"We have a long association with our families and when we do have events they are all incredibly supportive."

Dow does not have a set date for his adventure, he will simply wait for a day that he has the time free and the weather is right.

As of Friday morning, $1580 had been donated so far.

Donations can be made at www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/motiti-island-mission-jimmys-paddle-home-on-a-sup