This month, around sixty community groups and local colleges are setting out to deliver Auckland region’s Yellow books. The deliveries are an annual part of fundraising efforts for schools nationwide, funding an array of projects – from playgrounds, to virtual learning programs, to sports tournaments.
Botany Downs Secondary School will be raising funds from the deliveries of 14,000 books, going towards sending students on tournament week.
“It lowers the travel costs; meaning hockey and football teams can head to the South Island – bringing the cost down to the equivalent of travelling to say Taupo or Tauranga,” says teacher Debbie McGregor.
“We rarely undertake car washes these days, as they can be detrimental to our environment (soap suds down drains), and we don’t sell lollies and chocolate either, because that’s not healthy for the kids. So, we really appreciate the Yellow fundraiser; it’s exercise, and it’s the most amazing team building exercise.”
She says these funding initiatives are crucial because they open new doors for schools. “Even though we are within a higher socio-economic community and a decile 9 school, we still have children that we support with sports fees and uniforms,” says Ms McGregor. “And in today’s technological world – we want as many of our kids getting involved in sport as possible. Financial support is key in making that happen.”
Yellow CEO Michael Boersen says, “Our goal is to help connect people and their communities, and schools are at the heart of this. What better way than to have Kiwi kids delivering the books themselves, with their efforts directly benefitting their own education?”
