Fun in the sun at our Pooh sticks fundraiser

After many months of meticulous planning and organisation on Saturday 14^th November we held our annual ‘Pooh sticks’ race fundraiser at Mair Park.

The ten children who attend our nature programme all know very well how to explain the game of ‘Pooh sticks’.  As Sam explained “first we find our sticks then we walk to the bridge, then we drop them off the bridge.  They float down the river”. 

As part of the build-up for the ‘Pooh sticks’ race, at our group time we showed a snippet of a Winnie the Pooh video explaining how the game of Pooh sticks was developed.  By the end of the week kindergarten was buzzing with excitement and anticipation. 

Fortunately on Saturday we had beautiful weather with great support from our children, their whānau and friends.  Thanks to Phil, one of our kindergarten dad’s excellent tidal expertise knowledge and pre-planning our sticks were racing along the Hatea river with an outgoing tide.

After a countdown from ten the numbered sticks were dropped off the bridge into the water (thanks Mat and Mike for your fantastic help with this job).  There were lots and lots of people watching the race from the river bank, cheering on the three hundred sticks, however there could only be one winner!  It was a close finish; thankfully we had Nigel and Phil in the kayaks ready and waiting at the finish line.

Once the race was completed the prize giving was held where there were fantastic sponsored prizes for the first five placings and even a prize for last place. Also there was more winning to be had with twenty three spot prizes to give away, as well as raffles and a silent auction to win.

With delicious food stalls and wonderful music provided by Junior Strings from the Whangarei Youth Music, Scott Martin playing the saxophone and local band Two Kay, there appeared to be lots of happy punters dancing to the music or sitting down relaxing.

Community events like our Pooh sticks fundraiser provide an excellent opportunity for whānau/families to engage with each other, meet new friends and socialise outside of kindergarten.

When I asked the children what they enjoyed most about the Pooh sticks race, there was an array of responses including:

Pippa C. “I like the race and watching the sticks fall in”.

Toby:  “My dad do it, he dropped them (the sticks)”.

Franchi:  “I won a prize”.

Isla W.  “I liked dancing”.

Capri:  “I went to the Pooh race.  I had a delicious cake”.

Madison:  “My favourite part was when the people threw the sticks in the water.  Who were the people?  I had a cupcake”.

Sam:  “I had a pooh bear cup cake and a bumble bee cup cake and vanilla ice cream, I was that hungry”.

Lali:  “I went with my daddy, I liked the cake”.

On behalf of the teaching team I would like to thank everyone who supported this event especially all the hard work of organising and planning efforts made by our Parent Support Group, this includes, Karla, Katie, Yvette, Kelly, Jess, Candace, Lena, Robyn and Katy and also Simon, Nigel, Phil, Mike and Jarrod.  Also we need to give an enormous thank you to Sarah our fantastic administrator who has worked above and beyond.  We really appreciate all the effort and time that helped make this event so successful.

A huge thank you to all the whānau who helped make this event such a success through offering support and help with many jobs including gaining sponsorship, collecting prizes, preparing the bread and onions, baking delicious cakes, selling tickets, cooking and selling the sausages and gaining sponsorship.

Thank you to our amazing sponsors including; Evo Holdings, Reyburn and Bryant, Base Group Consulting, John Duff Roofing, Cato Bolam Consultants, Mojo Trust, Snugglies, Regent New World,  Pak N Save Whangarei, French Hen, Kensington Pharmacy, Pet Essentials, Golden Bay Cement, Farmlands, Parua Bay Tavern, Kelly Tarltons, Belltech, Specsavers Whangarei, Fledging Photography, Just Dance, Tikipunga Butchery, Young’s Four Square, Autocare Whangarei, Kiwi North, Zest Mortgage Brokers, Storytime, My Bounce, Melody Art and Design, Erika Blank – Bayleys Whangarei, Relax, Delights, Three Furlongs Bar & Grill, Whangarei Aquatic Centre, Placemakers, Swimspiration, Delights, Northland Pilates, Mini Glowlf World, Ollie & Dre, Stoodles Design, Office Max, Scentsy, Fudge Farm, Revive Beauty, Cabbage Tree Café, Riverside Café, Mercy Clothing, Northland Pottery, and Activ8 Mummy.

The monies raised from this event will be used to paint our kindergarten interior over the summer holidays.

Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.  Anthony J. D’Angelo

Mā te wā
Susie