Be The First To Support Kiwi Kids This Christmas

For immediate release
23 September 2009

Be The First To Support Kiwi Kids This Christmas

Christmas cards, wrapping paper and tinned biscuits will be in hot demand this year as The Warehouse unveils its charity range on Wednesday 30 September, in aid of a great cause, Variety-The Children’s Charity.

Once again this Christmas, New Zealanders will have the opportunity to help Kiwi kids with special needs to realise their life goals by purchasing specially branded Variety Christmas cards through The Warehouse stores nationwide – this year the range has been extended to include high quality tinned biscuits and wrapping paper.

With 16 designs featuring traditional and contemporary imagery competitively priced at five dollars for a pack of ten cards and envelopes, the early release of the card range gives families and businesses time to ensure their festive messages are sent in time for Christmas.

Similarly, families can start stocking up on the delicious tinned jellies, shortbread and chocolate chip biscuits.

A donation from the sale of Variety Christmas cards, confectionary and wrapping paper will go towards the 2010 Variety Gold Heart Scholarship programme, designed to help New Zealand children facing serious personal challenge achieve in the areas of sport, education, music and the arts.

“We are thrilled that our Variety Christmas cards, wrapping paper and tinned biscuits are available at all 85 Warehouse stores from Kaitaia to Invercargill,” says Lorraine.

“We understand that 90% of all New Zealanders visit the Warehouse in the weeks leading up to Christmas and their support will enable Variety to help foster the talents of many young New Zealanders who are sick, disabled or disadvantaged.“

“Your purchase of a Variety-branded pack of Christmas cards or tin of biscuits will have a direct impact on sick, disabled and disadvantaged Kiwi kids reaching their lifelong goals in sport, music, art and education,” said Taylor.

“The Variety Christmas cards are an integral part of our extensive Christmas range and we are proud to support Variety in providing assistance to New Zealand children in need from communities where our customers live,” said Stu Yorston, General Manager Marketing for The Warehouse

The Variety Gold Heart Scholarship programme makes available to each recipient a maximum of $5,000 per year for up to three years. This may include assisting with tuition fees, personal development, coaching, purchase of training equipment, travel or accommodation. Leading professionals and celebrities are also matched with the recipients to mentor them in their chosen pursuits.

Mentors this year include long-time Variety supporter and Good Morning regular presenter Matai Smith, cricketer Shane Bond, television presenter and former athlete Jayne Kiely, motivational speaker Tony Christiansen, swimmers Dean Kent and Liz Costa and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Flautist Bridget Douglas.

Applications for the 2010 Variety Gold Heart Scholarship Fund will open later this year. For more information visit www.variety.org.nz

Editors Notes
The 2009 Variety Gold Heart Scholarship recipients are:
• 12 year old Tyla Johnson from Christchurch battles Club Ulnar Dysplasia and dreams of competing in the 2012 Paralympics in swimming or athletics. He is one of the youngest athletes ever to represent NZ in the Paralympics.
• Aine Kelly-Costello hails from Warkworth – she is 14 and has been blind since birth. She excels in academics, playing the piano and flute, and swimming.
• At 17, and despite Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Milford resident Blake Leitch was in the top 20% of his academic peer group in the Cambridge International Exams – he plans to study psychology.
• At 9 years old, Matthew Mokoroa from Grey Lynn had a liver transplant – four years later, he has won athletic events at his school and in Rarotonga (where he was born). He will also represent New Zealand in the 17th World Transplant Games in August.
• Oamaura’s Emma Paton has been selected to compete in the 2009 Deaflympics in Taipei, aged only 17.
• In her application 16 year old Talitha Ponga from Whakatane wrote of the financial struggle for her solo mum to help her attend last year’s Waka Ama World Championships in Sacramento, where she won a bronze medal. Her scholarship will fund her attendance at the New Zealand National Waka Ama Sprints and the 2010 World Sprints.
• A child of Afghani refugees, Mt Roskill’s Emman Rahimi lives and breathes soccer – his coach considers him the best 12 year old player he has seen in 20 years of coaching.
• Multi-talented athlete Brenagan Salt (Pakuranga) is challenged by autism and aspergers – she understands that her solo mum cannot provide for all of the costs for her sport but with the Variety Scholarship she will continue to excel in netball, swimming and athletics.
• 15 year old Chelsea Seagar doesn’t let mild cerebral palsy set her back A Half Moon Bay resident, she has broken and set New Zealand age-group athletics records and aims to attend the 2012 Paralympic Games.
• Manukau resident Holden Stirling has severe heamophilia, however this doesn’t qualify him to swim in the disabled game so he competes against and beats able bodied swimmers. He wants to be the first haemophiliac to win a medal at a Commonwealth Games
• 16 year old Rebecca Dubber from Auckland’s North Shore is on track with her goal to swim at the 2012 Paralympics, having already broken the world record for her category in a non-qualifying event.
• Having a pair of feet up to two sizes different creates great problems for buying shoes for 14 year old Connor Endrodi from Queenstown – he currently holds the NZ Paralympics Junior and Open record for Long Jump and on track to represent NZ in Melbourne this year.
• At 16, Daniel Holt is on track to represent New Zealand at the 2012 Paralympics. Due to his albinism, he has a visual impairment – he continues to break Paralympic swimming records and win medals.
• 17 year old Ian Stewart from Auckland has recently finished a Diploma of Animation and Digital Video – a remarkable achievement given he has autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia and a central auditory processing disorder.
• Kyra Thompson is 12 and hails from Upper Hutt – she has Type 1 Diabetes and last year won medals in every roller skating event she competed in.
• Akayshia Williams had a cochlear implant at age 9 – now 12, she is a talented and determined Waka Ama paddler who won the National Junior Championships in the W6 100 metre sprint.
• 16 year old twins Brittney and Charlie Vermunt from Napier are talented basketballers who lost their coach and biggest supporter, their father at the end of 2007. They are considered to have the potential to represent their country at the highest level.
• At 17, Tyler Belcher is ranked sixth in World Junior Wheelchair tennis – he has recently won the NZ Open Men’s Plate and the Auckland Championship Men’s Doubles.
• Hailing from Christchurch, Ayesha has faced many challenges and her battle with cancer has shown what a fighter she is. She is being raised by her grandparents, who are committed to support Ayesha, despite the financial obligations. As a result of her 2008 performances, the NZ Ice Skating Association has selected 15 year old Ayeῳha as an international representative.
• Thirteen old Christchurch youth Breandan faces daily challenges dealing with Autism, Dyspraxia, and Irlens Syndrome. He competes in both mainstream and Special Olympics skating and is the highest ranked Special Olympic skater in New Zealand. Skating gives him ‘peace through all the chaos of his autism’ says his mother.
• 16 year old Stephanie McKenzie is determined that diabetes won’t stop her from representing New Zealand at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in weightlifting and track cycling – she has the medals and records to prove it.

ENDS

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