Rob Ballinger-Judd, wife Jenner and children (from left to right) Berkeley, Bennett and Clarke ahead of Rob's jump for Red Cross. Photo / Kiri Gillespie
Rob Ballinger-Judd, wife Jenner and children (from left to right) Berkeley, Bennett and Clarke ahead of Rob's jump for Red Cross. Photo / Kiri Gillespie
Rob Ballinger-Judd has only himself to blame for the pink tutu tucked under the skydiving harness strapped to his body.
"I said if I could manage to make the $500 mark, I'd wear a pink tutu."
Indeed, Ballinger-Judd raised nearly $1500 for the Red Cross as part of a Jump!for Red Cross fundraising campaign which culminated in Tauranga on Sunday. The Bay of Plenty jump joins three others from around New Zealand; one in Auckland and two in the South Island.
The Tauranga father of three said he wanted to do some good for a worthy cause and had been inspired a little by his wife Jenner Ballinger-Judd's efforts.
"Funnily enough, I've always wanted to do it and my wife is a volunteer in a lot of not-for-profit organisations, I wanted to get on board. It's quite altruistic. It's good because while this is something good it's also kicking something off my bucket list."
Ballinger-Judd said he first saw the opportunity to skydive for the Red Cross on Facebook. He set up a crowdfunding page and proactively began fundraising, setting incentives such as wearing a pink tutu on the jump if he managed to raise $500.
His page stated: "The more people that know about New Zealand Red Cross, the greater their impact, but also you may get to see me graciously fall from the sky like a mythical Pegasus but with less wings and less horsey (or grace in fact)."
Ballinger-Judd also enlisted his "little team" of children Berkeley, Clarkeand Bennett who helped prepare him for the jump.
Rob Ballinger-Judd, wife Jenner and children (from left to right) Berkeley, Bennett and Clarke ahead of Rob's jump for Red Cross. Photo / Kiri Gillespie
Cheered on by his wife and children, Ballinger-Judd took off for what became "an amazing experience".
"Honestly, it was more than what I thought it was going to be ... and if I get to have a bonus like that while trying to do what's right ... it was fantastic."
Ballinger-Judd was originally among 10 people expected to fundraise and jump for the charity. However, 10 turned into 17.
Red Cross community fundraising co-ordinator Amber McArthur said the campaign had been more successful than they anticipated.
"So far Tauranga, we are just under $15,000. We would have been happy to just get $10,000."
McArthur said she felt perhaps people were more aware of Red Cross' work due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"People were seeing more of what the Red Cross does in the Bay of Plenty."
Some jumpers were part of the local Red Cross disaster management team while others such as Ballinger-Judd were just members of the community wanting to do their bit, McArthur said.
Auckland woman Francesca Hosking is doing all four jumps.
She said her life as a speaker, MC and consultant had gone into "limbo" due to Covid-19 and helping an organisation such as the Red Cross while she had the time and ability to do it was a "no-brainer".
"If I can help Red Cross, who are already out there helping people, the ripple effect from this will have a much greater impact [than doing something on my own]."
