Crossfit Rotorua brings tidings of joy (+video)

Crossfit Rotorua ran to catch the bus, all for a good cause.

The group did a food relay as part of this year's Fill the Bus 12-hour food drive, led by The Hits 97.5, with support from the Rotorua Daily Post.

Crossfit Rotorua coach Fallyn Flavell said she had recently set up a donation corner at the gym.

"We have been running 'Koha Corner' for about three months now. There's a lot of people and families in Rotorua who need help."

She said there were two boxes set up at the gym where people donated.

Crossfit Rotorua team on their food relay. Photo/Ben Fraser

When it was full the club members nominated a family that was in need and the nominations were then put into a raffle where one was pulled out.

"This month a lot of our members suggested the Salvation Army so we had been planning to give what we got to them, but we didn't know when we would do it.

"By chance, I saw the Fill the Bus driving around Rotorua and I looked up the schedule and saw they were coming to Countdown in Fairy Springs when our normal class times were on so we thought we would make it part of the session."

Ms Flavell said their gym was close to the supermarket so they turned the donation into a relay and, as a team, ran all of their non-perishable goods to the bus.

"It was such a cool thing to be a part of. We even got the kids involved, it's also about teaching our children the importance of giving and that people do miss out on Christmas so we need to help."

Fill the Bus was a huge success this year with more than 4000 items worth more than $8000 being donated in one day.

All donations go towards the Rotorua Daily Post's Salvation Army Foodbank Christmas Appeal which finishes on December 23.

"Around this time of year the Sallies get a lot of requests for food parcels and they do such good things for the community it's good to help," Ms Flavell said.