Good progress on Atiu hostel Michael Akava offers up freshly fried fish – one of the most popular dishes at the Atiu Day fundraiser in October this year. After a year of determined and successful fundraising projects, the Atiu hostel project is one step closer to completion. The fundraising committee hosted a variety of events to raise what was needed for the year but still need about $200,000 to complete the project. The committee raised $25,000 from quick raffles, around $20,000 from their catering services and a whopping $50,000 from the Atiu Day fundraiser in October this year. Atiuans from the village of Teenui living in Melbourne contributed $5000 towards the quick raffles alone. “We reached our target this year and would like to acknowledge the former Atiu mayor Taoro Brown and the island council for wholeheartedly supporting the Atiu Day fundraiser,” says Nga Teao-Papatua, general secretary of the Atiu hostel project. Although work on the project began in 2008, it does not involve a bank loan. Building materials have been purchased using money received from fundraisers and donations from the Atiu community in Rarotonga, New Zealand and Australia, says Nga. “The final decision rests with chief builder Tangata Ngametua Kae.” “If the Atiu communities in Auckland, Wellington, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney raise $50,000 each, the project will be complete in July 2015. If they do not meet their target, then the opening date will be set for December 2015,” she says. “We would love to have their contributions now, not at the opening. I am very honoured by the support of the Atiu community in Rarotonga.” Besides the fundraising efforts, about 20 men and women volunteer their services and time to the weekly working bees. The latest working bee ended on Sunday December 13 and will resume on Saturday, January 10. “We would like to wish every Atiuan on Rarotonga a Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2015,” says Nga. Category: #maoridb-Local Media, News Published: December 22, 2014 at 12:40PM #maoridb-news
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 01:20:13 +0000
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