Cruise-for-a-Cause to Help Feed Those in Need

4 APRIL 2019

Real Journeys 2019 Cruise-for-a-Cause to Help Feed Those in Need, Reduce Food Waste And Save Endangered Wildlife

Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise

This year’s Cruise-for-a-Cause to Doubtful Sound will raise funds for a chiller and freezer trailer for Queenstown community support group ‘Baskets of Blessing’ to help distribute meals for individuals and families experiencing difficult times. Baskets of Blessing now has a ‘Let’s Eat’ branch utilising donated surplus supermarket food which 10–25 volunteers turn into dozens of family-sized frozen meals (80 – 120) every week.

Founder of Baskets of Blessing Tam Schurmann, says ‘Let’s Eat’ was set up to help reduce Queenstown’s wastage of quality surplus food and to feed people who (for whatever reason) need support.

"This Cruise-for-a-Cause will raise much needed funds for us. We have the team, the energy and the passion to expand, but without expensive commercial equipment, a walk-in refrigeration unit and freezer trailer(s), we are constrained. With these facilities, we’ll increase our meals output to better meet the need in our local community," says Schurmann.

Real Journeys’ second Cruise-for-a-Cause, held in Milford Sound, will help fund a veterinary internship at The Wildlife Hospital in Dunedin. The hospital is the only dedicated specialist facility of its kind in the South Island that treats some of the most unique and threatened species - from native birds to penguins and seals.

The Wildlife Hospital Chair Steve Walker, says local vets are often the first port of call when people find injured wildlife, so having more skilled people in the region who know how to work with native species will boost their chances of survival.

"The Cruise-for-a-Cause is a brilliant concept, and an absolutely perfect backdrop for us. After all, we're returning many of our patients to this beautiful area once they've been stitched up at the Wildlife Hospital and back on their feet."

The Cruise-for-a-Cause is held every year at the start of the overnight cruise season on the Fiordland Navigator in Doubtful Sound and Milford Mariner in Milford Sound. Real Journeys dedicates the final staff training cruise as a fundraiser and invites applications from charitable or not-for-profit organisations. The vessels, crew, three-course dinner, breakfast and water activities – are all provided by Real Journeys at no cost. The organisation sells the tickets and keeps 100% of the proceeds. This year, over twenty organisations applied for the Cruise-for-a-Cause.

The Baskets of Blessing Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise-for-a-Cause is held Saturday 31 August. To support Baskets of Blessing or find out more: https://www.realjourneys.co.nz/ds-cruise-for-a-cause

The Wildlife Hospital Milford Sound Overnight Cruise-for-a-Cause is held Friday 13th September 2019.

To support The Wildlife Hospital or find out more: https://www.realjourneys.co.nz/ms-cruise-for-a-cause

Last year, Real Journeys Cruise-for-a-Cause raised over $53,000 for KidsCan and Wanaka Search and Rescue.

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