Rabobank Good Deeds 2021: Win $5000 for your community project

This competition has now closed.Tune in to The Country this week to find out if you're a winner!

Rabobank and The Country have teamed up for the Good Deeds Initiative, now in its fifth year.

The competition is open to anyone who has a community project that would benefit from $5000 of funding, along with a day's labour, courtesy of the teams at Rabobank and The Country.

Got a community project that needs a little help? Enter the Good Deeds competition here!

Last year "The Creek Boys" from Waitaki Boys High School, were the winners of the Good Deeds initiative, which deputy rector Roger van Booma said was "life changing" for the students.

"It was fantastic," van Booma told The Country's Jamie Mackay.

The native trees planted at the school by the Good Deeds team were still going strong, despite some adverse weather conditions, van Booma said.

"It's been muddy and there's been a flood through there and everything has done exactly as we planned - it's been really great."

The Rabobank Good Deeds team in action at Waitaki Boys High School. Photo / File

The boys decided to enter the Good Deeds initiative after seeing the state of the river running through their school, which looked "unhealthy and unwell," van Booma said.

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The School Creek Restoration Project was born, but the students were unsure how to fund their venture, van Booma said.

"Someone told us about Rabobank Good Deeds. We went online and filled out a simple entry form, sent it off and did not think too much about it - until we heard back from you!"

The effects of the Good Deeds initiative lasted long after the Rabobank team had left, as community members and the local council were also keen to be involved, van Booma said.

As a result of this interest, the entire creek was nearly completed.

"It looks absolutely fantastic and I guess it all started with the Good Deeds day."

The students benefitted from their involvement with Good Deeds too, van Booma said.

"They are still active in it. I think the real thing is that it's something that they've left for the school.

"Those boys - I can see it in them - just huge growth in their mana around the school and in their sense of pride in looking after it - it's incredible."

The Rabobank Good Deeds team at Waitaki Boys High School. Photo / File

Here are the prizes for this year's competition:
1st prize - $5k plus a day's labour from Rabobank and The Country
2nd prize - $1k plus a day's labour from the local Rabobank team
3rd prize - $1k plus a day's labour from the local Rabobank team

The Good Deeds competition starts Monday, August 16 and closes Monday, September 6, 2021. Enter your project here.