Dannevirke: Wet, muddy fun - all for a good cause

Mackenzie Bruere, 13, loved the soapy slide. Photos / Christine McKay.

Mud, water and plenty of tasty treats were top of the list for children at Dannevirke South School's gala on a recent Saturday.

"Cool, great, fun," muddy mates Anthony Tateri Hoby and Toby Walker said as they climbed down from the trailer after their wet and wild ride through the creeks and around the bush land at the bottom of the school grounds.

The annual event, organised by the Support our Students committee, provided funding for activities for the school pupils, co-chairwoman Julie Davis said.

"It was a fantastic day and a great success," she said. "We had wonderful support and I'm already looking forward to next year's gala."

Mrs Davis said the gala featured activities unique to Dannevirke South School.

"It was the fun things like seeing the kids covered in mud after their motorbike trailer rides which can only happen because of our unique environment. Even the water slide is special to our school as not many other schools have a big field with a hill for a slide like we do. The dads riding the bikes towing the trailers seemed to be having just as much fun as the children too. This was about creating a bit of old-fashioned fun and it certainly was.

"If we didn't have the gala we couldn't have swimming lessons for our children. The money pays for the bus to and from the AMP Wai Splash pool," Mrs Davis explained.

"The proceeds also help to subsidise various extra activities such as the wonderful African storyteller we had here recently and the Indonesian dancers.

"But we couldn't run the gala if we didn't have the support of everyone, including our local business people. They're very important,"she said.