Cocktail party raises coin for chopper

Gina Wishart, Kaye Wishart, and Leigh McGahey, from Napier during a cocktail party to raise funds for the Hawkes Bay rescue helicopter trust. Photo / Supplied

More than 500 people dressed in their best vintage cocktail outfits raised at least $80,000 for the Hawke's Bay Rescue Helicopter Trust last night.

The Hastings Karamu Rotary Club Annual Cocktail Party, held at the A&P Showgrounds, has been raising money for the trust for the last 26 years through ticket sales and an auction at each event.

Hawke's Bay Rescue Helicopter Trust general manager Ian Wilmot said he was thrilled with the auction which raised $52,000, with an ultimate dining experience at Craggy Range that included a performance by the New Zealand Orchestra getting the highest bid of the night at $8000.

People from all over Hawke's Bay attended the event which is the single biggest fundraiser for the trust each year, he said.

"It's a very, very valuable fundraiser in terms of the money we raise and the profile it gives us."

The annual operational cost of the rescue helicopter, which transports about 320 people a year, is $2.5m and the trust has to fundraise half of it.

Chief pilot Charlie Beetham said transportations like one in October last year would not have been possible without the funds raised by the annual Cocktail party which raises an outstanding amount of money to provide top-of-the-line equipment.

Last year Mr Beetham helped rescue a group of trampers who went missing in the Ruahine Ranges in severe weather.

He made four trips in the treacherous weather to rescue eight people including hypothermic trampers and LandSAR members.

"Rescues like this take years of training, robust procedures and lots of money," he said.
The annual event also had an online auction which opened last night and will close on Sunday.

Another hit for the second year was the 'Pop the Magic' en masse popping of helium balloons for prizes with the biggest being a ride in the rescue helicopter.