Local volunteers and awareness of cancer bloom for Daffodil Day

Colin McAllister has been involved with Daffodil Day in Tauranga for more than 25 years. Photo / Andrew Warner

Colin McAllister remembers the very first time Daffodil Day ran in Tauranga.

It was August of 1990, McAllister and a small team, including his wife Annette, sold fresh daffodils around the city for the Cancer Society.

The long-stemmed yellow and white flowers were collected from the local community and stored in the couple's garage.

"We ran around trying to keep our fresh daffodils alive," he laughs.

That year Daffodil Day was being trialled in Tauranga and Wellington, and McAllister recalled about $4000 being raised.

Since then he had been actively involved with Waikato Bay of Plenty division of the Cancer Society, from being on the executive committee to collecting donations on the streets.

McAllister got involved with the Cancer Society through his work with the Lions Club.

In 2013 he was made a life member of the society and he had watched the awareness of Daffodil Day bloom every year.

"The local community has always been very generous towards Daffodil Day."

The public's awareness of the cause and their willingness to give up their time to be volunteers has always stood out to him.

McAllister said the local Lions clubs had always been great supporters as well.

"Everyone has been affected by cancer, there won't be many families who have not been touched by it."

Tauranga Daffodil Day co-ordinator Karen Gemmell said more than 600 people from Katikati to Te Puke volunteered on Daffodil Day and this number continued to grow each year.

"We have an army of people involved in street collections, fresh flower deliveries, fresh flower bunching, administration and this year we are also selling fresh flowers at the Little Big Markets."

Gemmell said Daffodil Day was hugely important to the local community.

"With one in three New Zealanders affected by cancer, many of the people you see wearing a daffodil this August are wearing it for someone they love.

"There is a real sense of community on the day as we unite to beat cancer - every dollar we raise will help the Cancer Society to provide care and prevent future cancers through education and research."

And after being involved with Daffodil Day for more than 25 years, McAllister said he was not about to give up any time soon - you might even see him out rattling a bucket for donations next week.

Daffodil Day
• The Cancer Society needs your support this Daffodil Day so that together we can beat cancer in New Zealand.
• On Friday, August 31 more than 12,000 volunteers will take to the streets around the country as part of New Zealand's largest street appeal.
• Every dollar dropped into their collection buckets, donated online, or at any ANZ branch, will be spent on supporting New Zealanders with all types of cancer and helping prevent future cancers through vital research.