November 29 2013

Pog Mahones birthday celebrations support essential Queenstown community service

One of Queenstown’s most successful and enduring hospitality businesses is supporting a local community provider while celebrating its 15th birthday.

Queenstown’s much-loved Irish pub Pog Mahones officially turns 15 on Saturday December 7 and as part of its celebrations is fundraising for Queenstown Plunket.

The charity’s Henry Street premises is in need of essential repairs and maintenance that will cost thousands of dollars, money it has to spend in order to be able to continue offering an essential ‘drop-in’ space for Mums, bubs and extended families, as well as a wide range of weekly programmes.

Wakatipu Plunket President Juliet Eckford, mum of 18-month-old Jasper, said while Plunket received Government funding for the clinical side of its operations everything else it offered was funded on a charity basis.

Pog Mahones has stepped in to collect donations for Plunket throughout its birthday celebration period with donation buckets positioned throughout the bar.

It has also promised to match customer donations dollar for dollar and is organising a special Quiz Night on Tuesday December 3 where all entry fees will go to Plunket and items will be auctioned to raise more funds.

Pog Mahones General Manager Tom Cairns, himself the father of a three-year-old daughter, said Pog Mahones and its owners the Frenzi Group were “delighted” to help out where it could.

“Plunket’s open five days a week and has paid staff on hand every day,” said Mr Cairns.

“Between 250 and 350 people a month use Plunket and drop in for classes, education, support groups and play-groups. It’s is an essential part of our community.

“It runs Tiny Toes and Little Wriggler programmes, is the venue for Japanese family group get-togethers, play groups, multiple birth groups, you name it.

“A lot of people wouldn’t realise that all these services cost money to offer and that only comes through trusts, grants or fundraising.”

Ms Eckford said Plunket was “thrilled” with the support from Pogs and very happy to help the pub celebrate its 15th anniversary.

“We’re obviously very grateful for any assistance and this has come at a very timely point on the calendar,” she said.

“The Plunket rooms were opened in 1986 and so they are in much need of repair. We have to get this work done on the building and Pog’s support will also help with our funding applications further afield.”

Pog Mahones has been celebrating its anniversary with a month of giveaways and a ’15 Days of Fun’ promotion where all customers who buy an Irish beverage before December 7 not only go into the draw to win a free Queenstown activity pass but will also go in the draw to win one of two Pog’s Big Birthday Pressie grand prizes.

Two lucky winners will win a return trip from Queenstown to Ireland courtesy of House of Travel Queenstown worth up to a total of $10,000.

All those in the draw have to be at Pog Mahones at 6pm on the birthday night to personally accept their prize if their name is drawn.

The birthday weekend will feature a series of events, live music and special offers – the equivalent of three St Patrick’s days-worth of celebrations back-to-back.

Pog Mahones is delighted to announce that Irish Consul General Rodney Walshe will be guest of honour at the December 7 birthday party.

Following the ‘special delivery’ of a keg of Guinness to the pub by General Manager Tom Cairns – the fun details of which are tightly under wraps – Mr Walshe will be responsible for the ceremonial ‘tapping’ of the 100-pint keg containing the 1.2 millionth pint of Guinness to be served at Pog Mahones.

Mr Walshe, originally from Dublin, has served Ireland with distinction as Honorary Consul General in New Zealand for 37 years. He is a dedicated supporter of Irish interests and is recognised as a leader in the New Zealand tourism industry.

Mr Cairns said Queenstown locals and visitors were encouraged to come into Pogs for a pint of “the black stuff” to notch up more chances to win the big prize.

“For the cost of a pint you could be heading away to the other side of the world courtesy of Pogs,” he said.

ENDS

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