For one local family, fundraising to give back to the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter that helped them and so many others has been a journey of turning their gratitude into generosity.
Emma, one of the ‘Donate to Dine’ organisers, and her family needed the rescue helicopter twice. First to transport her premature twin boys to Waikato Hospital NICU, and more recently, taking one of her twins, Griffin, to Starship Hospital after a life-threatening accident at home.
“Our family has benefited greatly from this amazing life-saving service. Thankfully, ours is a good news story and inspired our family to give back to the people that helped us in our time of need, which is how 'Donate to Dine' was born.
"A fun night with good food, great company, music and dancing while raising money for a good cause,” says Emma of the night.
'Donate to Dine' was held at Sugo Restaurant in Tauranga last November and raised over $14,000 to revamp the crew space at the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter hangar, where the crew can unwind, connect and prepare for each life-saving mission.
In addition to their incredible fundraising efforts, the community came on board with local businesses donating new curtains and flooring, as well as a coffee machine and an oven.
Thank you, Emma, and your team of organisers and businesses! You have created a peaceful workplace for your hard-working crew to relax in – allowing them to be refreshed and ready, whenever and wherever they are needed.
If you would like to fundraise for your rescue helicopter, we’d love to help you! You can reach our Community Fundraising Coordinator Catherine at [email protected] or call us on 0800 11 10 10.
