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Pirate party aids Waikato youthA weekend of Waikato pirate adventures will see Waikato Hospital's children's wards fitted with a new bedside entertainment unit. The 'pirates', a group of fun loving people who volunteer four weekends every year to shake buckets in the name of the Kids Crusade Charitable Trust, travelled throughout the Waikato on May 16-17, using the 'Waitomo leg' to raise money for Waikato Hospital. The pirates have so far placed 15 of these units, valued at $2500, into hospitals in the Waikato, Auckland and Northland regions since 2002. Starting their journey at Drury on Saturday morning, the pirates in their crazy cars with loud horns and flashing sirens, made their way through Huntly, Ngaruawahia, Raglan, Waitomo, Otorohanga, Kihikihi, Te Awamutu, Cambridge, Taupiri and back to Huntly, collecting for children's charities. "The response to donations from the Waikato public in the buckets was inspiring," event organiser Martin Searle told Waikato Hospital today. "Your hospital should be encouraged by the good word on the street about your facility and its staff from the areas we visited." He said the pirates have been shaking the buckets for many years and note the public's feelings about the benefactor, by the size of their donations and the kind comments from the public. "Again, we would like to thank the pirates for all they do for children and youth – not just in the Waikato – but all over the North Island," said Waikato Hospital's Child Health operations manager Hayley Goodall. "We are rapt to hear from the pirates that we have a good reputation in our communities. It is important to us that our patients and visitors believe in what we're doing so that was heartening to hear." "After prize giving at Huntly Fire Station on Sunday afternoon, the weary pirates headed home, happy in the knowledge that the weekend's efforts had produced enough funds for Waikato Hospital to get their bedside entertainment unit," said Mr Searle. "We look forward to our next adventure through the Waikato, it was great fun." Date: 18 May 2009 ENDS |