The Eastern and Central Community Trust and the Life Education Trust may have the answer for parents despairing of scruffy teenagers - just get a grant and buy a new one.
Sounds too good to be true, and it is.
But that's the fate of the Life Education Trust's Little Harold, a
puppet giraffe mascot which, after 16 years doing his bit to help equip youngsters for a more fulfilling, healthy life, is on the way out thanks to $1100 from the community trust in the first round of its 2009-2010 donations.
Life Education secretary-treasurer Paula Lee said Little Harold was wearing out and the grant would mean he would be replaced by a new version.
About 30 Little Harolds are around nationwide, each based with mobile classrooms used to take the Life Education Trust's programme to about 200,000 youngsters a year.
The grant is one of 56 to Hawke's Bay organisations announced this week, with a total value of $257,700. Recipients include 18 sports organisations, with the biggest grant $50,000 to kick-start the development of a dedicated ground for rugby league.
The Heretaunga Land Skills Trust gets $15,000 for a van, and Mahia's Mokotahi Hall Society $15,000 for refurbishment and furniture.
Gymsports NZ gets $12,000 to implement a new basic physical skills programme in primary schools, and the Wairoa District Heritage and Museum Trust gets $12,000 to employ a qualified person to catalogue and conserve about 600 taonga and artefacts.
