Halberg Sport for Life Dinner raises close to $60k

Halberg Sport for Life Dinner raises close to $60k

Press Release: Harcourts

13 October 2014

At the inaugural Halberg Sport For Life Dinner the focus was on the children who took to the stage in front of several hundred guests and talked about how the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation has helped them – from a cricket coach to wheelchair basketball and a new trike.

The Harcourts Foundation hosted the first Halberg Sport for Life Dinner on Thursday 9 October at SkyCity Convention Centre, raising close to $60,000 for the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation.

Matakorama Waipouri, who has received a multi-sports wheelchair from the Halberg Foundation, spoke about how Halberg has helped her through difficult times by giving her a fun and active focus.

The attendees gave generously through donations, the purchase of raffle tickets and an incredible auction, which alone raised more than $50,000 and was called by renowned Christchurch auctioneer Phil McGoldrick.

Every cent of the nearly $60,000 goes to the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation. The charity, set up by Sir Murray Halberg, helps enhance the lives of physically disabled New Zealanders through sport and recreation, including providing grants for adaptive sports equipment.

As well as an opportunity to hear the children who benefit from the Halberg, attendees learnt about the power of sport from a panel of New Zealand sporting greats - former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry, All Blacks mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka, Paralympic gold medal winning cyclist Phillipa Gray and Olympic rowing champion and Halberg Foundation Trustee Rob Waddell. Sky Sport presenter Scotty Stevenson acted as MC for the evening.

The Harcourts Foundation is an official partner of the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation. Harcourts CEO Hayden Duncan says the partnership was formed after many of the Harcourts team witnessed first-hand the incredible difference Halberg makes to the lives of disabled Kiwis and their families.

“To see a child grow in confidence and really start to believe their disability doesn’t need to hold them back, is a wonderful thing. At Harcourts we are in awe of the work the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation does, and it is humbling to be able to hand over the proceeds of the Sport for Life Dinner to them.”

Pic Caps:

1. The Halberg Sport for Life panel Phillipa Gray, Sir Graham Henry, Gilbert Enoka and Rob Waddell.

2. Some of the many children who benefit from the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation and Halberg CEO Geoff Burgess.

3. Harcourts CEO Hayden Duncan welcomes attendees to the inaugural Halberg Sport for Life Dinner.

ENDS

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