Bucklands Beach Intermediate’s Christmas angels are doing their part to make sick kids and their families feel special over the holidays.
Room two students have created a pair of beautifully decorated angel wings to gift to Ronald McDonald House Charity (RMHC) who will house more than 600 families of sick children this festive season.
Teacher and Miss Auckland winner Natasha Unkovich came up with the gift as a way to teach her students the importance of giving to others.
“I wanted them to understand that although for many people Christmas involves receiving presents, eating delicious food and being around their loved ones, not everyone experiences Christmas in a similar way due to something like a tough medical journey they might be experiencing,” she says.
“We discussed what we could do to give back to someone else and we came up with creating some artwork that could be displayed at Ronald McDonald House.”
The wings are over two metres long, with each feather individually painted and decorated.
This was the second pair of wings room two has made, having previously created a pair of vibrant angel wings for the BBI arts exhibition.
“The initial wings were such a hit with students and the public that we thought the same idea could be benefited by guests at Ronald McDonald House,” Unkovich says.
“This project showed my students a different side to Christmas, a side of giving to others, something that they will hopefully carry with them all year round.”
Twelve-year-old Hinata Kuroda says she was excited to create a second pair of wings because the new wings had a whole new purpose.
“It had a really good purpose of giving to others who don’t necessarily have as much as we do, people who are sick and maybe won’t be able to go home for Christmas,” she says.
“Along the way we learnt that giving is more important than receiving,” she says.
Ronald McDonald House Charity
- Ronald McDonald House Charities New Zealand creates and supports programmes that strengthen Kiwi families throughout their children’s medical journeys, ensuring they are better placed to cope and help their children heal.
- Each year around 3700 families call our Ronald McDonald House home throughout New Zealand and the Pacific islands.
- To donate to RMHC visit Ronald McDonald House website.