Rotorua real estate agents have been painting the town red today in the name of charity.
A cricket bat autographed by New Zealand's 2003 World Cup team, a signed Rod Stewart soccer ball and a wheely bin for a year were among items up for auction at this
morning's Child Cancer Charity Breakfast and Art Auction. The Paint the Town Red event at Distinction Rotorua Hotel aimed at raising $10,000 for the Child Cancer Foundation's Sunshine Lodge Holiday Homes for child cancer sufferers and their families. There are homes in Taupo and Queenstown with plans to build another in Auckland.
Organiser of the annual function in Rotorua, Professionals McDowell Real Estate, has raised $220,000 from its yearly fundraisers since the company got on board in 1995. Nationally, Professionals has raised $3 million for the foundation. "We are one of the biggest events [from the Professionals group] in the country," said organiser Kylee Douglas. Miss Douglas was concerned the current economic crisis would hamper the company's fundraising efforts but said she was encouraged by the support shown for today's event. Each of the 250 seats at the breakfast were sold out.
"Our team just got out there, door knocked and got some great stuff for the auction."
Aside from this morning's breakfast, street collectors carrying distinctive red buckets will be collecting for the cause, primarily around the City Focus area.
Local radio station More FM dreamed up a novel way of raising funds. It will offer to paint red the body of a radio host and has set a target of $2000 which will also be added to today's total.
