Richie McCaw a Key Supporter of Pacific Spinal injury support Fundraising Campaign.
Friday 24 April 2015, 3:45PM
By Media PA
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By Alice Parminter
THE PACIFIC Disability Support Trust is once again fundraising to support people living with spinal injuries in Samoa and Fiji. This year they are holding a series of charity auctions, with involvement from major celebrities including All Blacks Captain Richie McCaw, Fiji Captain Akalasi Qera, Hollywood actress Roberta Haynes and Shortland Street star Robbie Magasiva. An online auction will be held from May to July, along with two live auctions in Fiji and Samoa.
The Samoan auction will take place on the 16th of May at the Return to Paradise Resort, as part of the gala weekend to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the movie Return to Paradise. Haynes will be flown to Samoa by sponsor Fiji Airways to attend the gala weekend, as a guest of honour. House of Travel is also running a tour group to the resort over the weekend, hosted by Magasiva.
The online charity auction, hosted by the Spinal Injury Association of New Zealand, will be launched at the Samoan event. Fiji will be hosting their live auction at a charity dinner on the 20th of June, with Fiji Captain Akalasi Qera as host.
The Pacific Disability Support Trust was established in 2010 to help promising young rugby player Ben Lei’a, after his spine was permanently injured in a rugby tackle. Sports star McCaw heard of Ben’s plight and spearheaded the fundraising campaign. “I felt privileged to help raise the funds to assist Ben,” Said McCaw. “Ben is a courageous young man … [t]hrough him, we have become aware that there are many other spinal injuries in Samoa and Fiji whose lives are very bleak. So I want to do what I can … so they can live with dignity and purpose.”
There will be dozens of quality prizes up for auction across the three events. Haynes has donated the original lavalava she wore in Return to Paradise, and McCaw will be donating a dinner for six in Auckland hosted by himself. Also up for grabs are one of McCaw’s All Blacks players’ jerseys, a world cup jersey signed by all seven world cup winning captains and a limited edition signed sports shirt from Qera’s own collection.
McCaw said, “If you can support the charity auction on line, through the Gala Ball at Return to Paradise Resort, or the launch in Suva, I know the Spinal Trust will use that money to help as many people as possible.” For information on the charity events and gala weekend, contact the Return to Paradise Resort at gm@returntoparadiseresort.com or call (+685) 35055.
Contact Return to Paradise Resort:
Phone: (+685) 35055 (Samoa)
Email: gm@returntoparadiseresort.com
For bookings: reservations@returntoparadiseresort.com
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