Some of the Trek Fundraiser team members of the 1960's Seagrave fire truck which was imported from Los Angeles. The team has been doing the fundraiser for 31 years. Photo / Caitlan Johnston.
Some of the Trek Fundraiser team members of the 1960's Seagrave fire truck which was imported from Los Angeles. The team has been doing the fundraiser for 31 years. Photo / Caitlan Johnston.
A charity car rally with a mission to help kids in need is in its 31st year and it will be passing through Te Awamutu later this month.
Trek Fundraiser, formerly called the Variety Bash, is a non-competitive annual event consisting sometimes of up to 100 participants and 30 vehicles.
This year Covid-19 has thrown a spanner in the works and the event had to be pushed back a month and fewer people and vehicles will be participating.
Around 70 people in multiple themed cars, buses and trucks travel through New Zealand handing out grants, giveaways, sports gear, special needs equipment, laughs, smiles and more to communities, schools and individuals.
The rally starts in Whanganui on Saturday, April 10 and then heads to Ohakune, Napier, Wairakei and Te Awamutu before finishing up at Lake Rotoiti.
Last month Te Awamutu locals may have noticed a very unique fire truck in town.
The rare vehicle is a 1960 Seagrave fire truck imported from Los Angeles that has a 18-litre engine, a 31-metre ladder that'll reach 10 storeys and it requires two drivers.
"It's unusual because it's an 18-litre petrol engine, the name of the motor is Hall-Scott which is an American company and they actually made aeroplane engines as well," says owner of the fire truck Peter Drummond.
"It uses one litre of petrol per kilometre. That's very unusual, its usage."
It was given as a gift to Auckland City and was part of the 1990 World Police and Fireman Games which was held in Auckland that year.
Owner of the fire truck Peter Drummond with Oscar Hellyer at Greenpark School during the 2015 fundraiser, back then it was called the Variety Bash. Photo / File.
The team aboard the fire truck has been doing the fundraising event since its beginnings. They are all from Auckland.
The postponement of this year's event meant they potentially weren't going to be able to participate, says Peter. But they couldn't let their track record fall and so they decided to do the Trek Fundraiser solo, on the original date set for the event, as they were all available to go.
"So we weren't going to miss the event because we've done every day of every event for the past 31 years," says Peter.
When they were in Te Awamutu they stayed at a local motel and enjoyed breakfast at Dusk till Dawn.
Peter says the best thing about doing the Trek Fundraiser is seeing the smiles on children's faces.
