Tractors join festive fleet for Christmas parade

Michael Cooper, John Doull and Terry Hobart will be part of a festive fleet at the Katikati Christmas parade. Photos / Rebecca Mauger

Katikati gets all sorts down its main street... even the odd tractor.

Last week, five tractors driven by Tauranga Vintage Machinery Club members parked up in front of Western Bay Museum.

The fleet came in honour of fellow life member Eric Green and to raise money for Waipuna Hospice. Long-standing Katikati resident and orchardist Eric is battling cancer, and is now based at Bethlehem Views in Tauranga.

‘’We’re doing this for Eric. He’s fighting cancer at the moment and also recently lost his partner to cancer, and we thought we’d like to raise some money for him and have a rally for him so he can see the old tractors. He’s hoping to come to the parade,’’ said the club’s vice president, John Doull.

The club recently announced their tractors will be taking part in the Katikati Lions Christmas Parade, and so thought they’d give locals a taste of what to expect while they were raising money for the hospice.

About 20 tractors will be driven down the main street heading to Beach Rd, where 10 tractors will take part in the parade itself — the rest will assemble at Moore Park for the Christmas in the Park event.

The parade starts at Katikati College before going on to Beach Rd, Carisbrooke Rd, Middlebrook Rd and onto Moore Park.

John says in the lead-up to the parade, they are hoping the community will give generously for the hospice, and that they can get sponsorships from local businesses.

Eric’s daughter Durrelle Green says Waipuna Hospice has been essential in guiding the family through the process, offering respite care and even helping to get Eric into a rest home.

■ If you’d like to contribute towards funds for hospice, please call John on 027 7777 585.

The details:

What: The Katikati Lions Christmas Parade.

Where: The parade starts at Katikati College and goes onto Beach Rd, Carisbrooke Rd, Middlebrook Rd and then onto Moore Park.

When: December 3; the parade starts at 3pm. Then, it’s Christmas in the Park (see page 10 for the Christmas in the Park story).