The organisers of the annual Howick Rotary Blankets 4 Kids 4 Winter appeal are disappointed by the support it’s received from the public so far this year.
The appeal is well under way and runs for the month of May.
“We are now just over halfway through May and unfortunately the volume of blankets being received for the Blankets 4 Kids 4 Winter appeal is running significantly slower than in previous years,” says Rob Mouncey, convenor of the project for Howick Rotary.
“On the positive side, by providing the opportunity for the public to make cash donations through the www.howickrotary.org.nz website and the link on our Facebook page, we’ve had seven donors and a total of $380 donated through this channel already.”
Mouncey says the reduction in the volume was partly expected as the project has been running for four years, so some families had already donated their spare blankets.
“This is why we set up the cash donation capabilities on the website and Facebook.
“We have even received cash donations at the collection and signage locations.
“In addition to this people have gone out and purchased new blankets themselves to donate.
“Howick is a generous and caring community so with the combination of the blankets donated and the purchase of blankets with the cash received we are still expecting the project to achieve its goal of helping a substantial number of families keep their kids warm this winter.
“Thank you to those people who have made a donation already”.
As the Times recently reported, Placemakers Pakuranga has joined the blanket collection depots at the Howick War Memorial Hall and Howick Village Optometrist, both of which are in Picton Street, and Grasslands in Moore Street.
Placemakers Pakuranga manager Sue Kahukore says: “I contacted Rotary to volunteer our location for collection and signage after listening to More FM promoting the project and thinking this was such a worthwhile appeal that we wanted Placemakers to be part of it.
“Placemakers works with Howick Rotary on [annual book sale] Bookarama and is involved in a number of community support programmes.”
The donated blankets get sorted, packaged and distributed by Howick Rotary to needy families through three charities; Stand Children’s Services, All Saints Anglican Church and Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church.
People can also go online to make a cash donation here: https://buy.stripe.com/9AQdRW9guf7rga4145
