Charity Rally to Visit 4000 Kids in Eight Days

Charity Rally to Visit 4000 Kids in Eight Days
– 2016 Variety Trillian Bash, from Levin to Timaru

The Blues Brothers, the Blues Sisters, eight fire engines and miniature Kenworth truck will join the Thunderbirds and a line-up of classic cars to kick of the annual Variety Trillian Bash.

And they’re hoping folk will come along to wave, to say hello, or to drop a coin in a bucket as they leave Levin’s Tatum Park on Saturday March 12, gather at Stevens Motors Ford in Wellington, then head for the Bluebridge ferry dock from 11.30am for a colourful lineup ahead of the 1.30 sailing.

The Bash raises funds for Variety – The Children’s Charity in its bid to help Kiwi kids in need of a hand-up, and this year the event will not only hand over cheques to deserving applicants, but will deliver over 100 bicycles to children nominated by their schools.

Each of the Bash teams raises thousands of dollars to join the rally, which becomes a rolling parade as it passes through rural areas, this year calling at 21 schools and visiting around 4000 kids along the way.

Levin won’t have seen anything like this line-up, with everything from the Fishpot Crew’s 17-metre-long, 18-litre 1960 Seagrove LA fire truck with a 30.5-metre ladder and two separate steering cabs, one for each end, to new Ford Mustangs, eight classic fire appliances, a cupcake Mini and a double-ended Bedford bus. And then there are the characters, with many teams in fancy dress – and cars, too.

Popular regulars include the Stihl Shop Silverdale Thunderbirds, and the Tiki Tour Girls, with their 1961 EK Holden and the team kitted out like Hogwarts pupils heading off to school, complete with owls.

South island crews include the Bash Bakers, with their loaf-bedecked classic Ford Fairlane, and the Top Guns Christchurch Airport crew, will meet the convoy in Blenheim.

Bash director Murray O’Donnell says it’s always a pleasure organising this crazy line-up, “It’s all fun, and we have plenty of laughs, but underlining it all, everyone wants to help give Kiwi kids a hand-up to be the best they can be,” he says.

“And that’s right down to those who help make it happen, with a special shout-out to the AA and the NZ Air Force service crews, and of course to Bluebridge ferries, who’ll be carrying us both ways.”

This year’s route
March 12: Levin to Blenheim
March 13: Blenheim, via Wairau Hospital visit toPortage Resort
March 14: Portage area, visit Waitaria Bay School
March 15: Portage to Nelson via Linkwater School, Havelock School, Canvastown School, Rai Valley School, Hira Schook Clifton Terrace School, Auckland Point School
March 16: Nelson to Blackball via Auckland Point School, Brightwater School, Wakefield School, Murchison Area School, Westport, Greymouth.
March 17: Greymouth to Lakre Coleridge via Cobden School, Blackball School, St Patricks School, Dobson School, Lake Brunner School
March 18: Methven to Timaru via Methven School, Rakaia School, Chertsey School, Fairton Schook Asburton Borough School, ending at the Caroline Bay Sound Shell

ENDS

© Scoop Media