Northland firefighters raise $94,000 for charity in Sky Tower challenge

Kaikohe's Maaka McKinney and his dog Blaze at the Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge. He was among 64 Northland firefighters who raised more than $94,000 for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand.

Northland firefighters raised an impressive $94,568.76 for charity at the Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge last weekend.

Nine hundred and fifty firefighters from communities around New Zealand, as well as Australia and the USA, took to the 1103 steps of Auckland's iconic Sky Tower wearing up to 25kg of firefighting kit last Saturday. Sixty-four of them were from Northland, with Whangarei firefighter and marathon runner Ady McKenzie the first woman home in 13 minutes and 12 seconds.

Firefighters taking part in the challenge raised more than $1.25 million for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand with the 14 brigades from Northland contributing $94,568.76.
Ken Laurie from Hastings Fire Station who raised $14,020 was named the top fundraiser.

The team that raised the most money was Auckland Airport Rescue Fire which raised $47,935. The brigade that raised the most money based on the number of firefighters in the team was Ashhurst Fire Brigade.

Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand general manager Georgie Hackett said the support of firefighters and communities has been outstanding.

"We are so grateful for the tremendous generosity and hard work of firefighters who fundraised such a phenomenal amount of money for the Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge. We would also like to thank the many communities throughout the country who support their local brigades so enthusiastically in their fundraising efforts.

"This fundraising is so important to help grow our service supporting families living with blood cancer, right across the country."

Amounts raised by each Northland brigade and number of participants:
Ahipara, 2 participants, $1875 raised; Dargaville Volunteer Brigade, 6, $6311.80, Kaikohe Fire, 4, $6000; Kaikohe Rural, 2, $12,094; Kaiwaka, 4, $2559.70; Kamo, 7, $8669.25; Kawakawa VFB, 1, $ 917.20; Kerikeri, 5, $7958; Marsden 22 (Marsden Pt), 6, $7525.50; Ngunguru, 5, $7600; Onerahi, 9, $19,237.97; Paihia VFB, 6, $5534.80; Ruakaka, 6, $4899.54; Waipu, 1, $3386.