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Ready, steady, brush! The Awesome Colgate Carton Race kicks off nationwide

Monday 30 April 2012, 3:22PM

By Acumen Republic

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Colgate Creative Carton Race logo
Colgate Creative Carton Race logo Credit: Acumen Republic

The Awesome Colgate Carton Race is back and better than ever, with primary and intermediate schools across New Zealand gearing up to vie for $70,000 worth of sporting equipment as the competition kicks off nationwide.

Following the success of last year’s competition, the race returns and challenges schools to collect as many empty Colgate toothpaste cartons as possible before June 29.

The race is part of an awareness campaign to promote the importance of healthy lifestyles, while encouraging children to brush at least twice a day.

Oral health continues to be of concern for New Zealand children, highlighted by the most recent New Zealand Oral Health Survey which shows nearly half of all New Zealand children (aged 2-17) will have a tooth cavity before they reach adulthood[1].

“There’s a lot we can do to improve the oral health of Kiwi kids,” stresses Jarrad Murray, Marketing Director, Colgate Palmolive. “We need to work harder to help our kids do better in this area.”

Lynton Downs School in Kaikoura, which has just 15 pupils in total, was one of the five schools last year to have won a major prize in the competition. The school used its prize to buy gear for swimming, golf, and athletics, as well as a scuba instructor and golf professional to teach its children.

“We’re so appreciative of what Colgate put up for schools to win. We will absolutely sign up this year,” says Principal Karen Blue.

Dannevirke’s Akitio School principal Kelly Vaney says winning the major prize in the Carton Race meant the ability to purchase sporting gear that they wouldn’t have been able to have otherwise.

“Our students chose which sports gear we received as part of the prize. It became a hands-on learning experience. [The pupils] enjoyed looking through the catalogues, and making wish lists and budgets,” Ms Vaney says.

As well as a number of spot prizes this year, major prizes of sports equipment will now be presented to first, second and third place in two major categories; schools with up to 250 pupils on their school roll, and schools with over 250 pupils.

The winning schools must collect the highest number of Colgate toothpaste cartons per student to receive the prizes.

Creative Cartons

Colgate will also put up $10,000 worth of sports equipment for the top three most creative uses of Colgate toothpaste cartons built around a sporting theme. Photos must be uploaded to the Colgate website by Sunday, 3 June, with all entries then judged by Colgate to produce 10 finalists. The public will then have the chance to vote on the most creative entries at Colgate NZ Facebook page www.facebook.com/colgatenz.


Prizes up for grabs

  • Category One: Schools with up to 250 pupils on their schools roll

            First place: $12,500 (RRP) of sporting equipment
            Second place: $7,500 (RRP) of sporting equipment
            Third place: $5,000 (RRP) of sporting equipment

  • Category Two: Schools with over 250 pupils on their schools roll

 

            First place: $12,500 (RRP) of sporting equipment
            Second place: $7,500 (RRP) of sporting equipment
            Third place: $5,000 (RRP) of sporting equipment

  • Creative Award Prizes

             First place: $5,000 (RRP) of sporting equipment
             Second place: $3,000 (RRP) of sporting equipment
             Third place: $2,000 (RRP) of sporting equipment

Colgate will also award ten Spot Prizes at random for $500 of sporting equipment.
For more information on the competition, or to receive an entry kit, please visit www.colgatecartonrace.co.nz.

What does toothpaste have to do with sport?
Colgate Toothpaste has been a part of New Zealand children’s oral health for more than 75 years. You’ve seen us in the glowing grins and bright smiles of countless faces over that time; the winners, the competitors, and on the sidelines supporting children’s athletics through the Colgate Games – New Zealand’s national interclub athletics competition for over 30 years.

About Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive is a wholly owned subsidiary of the New York listed Colgate-Palmolive company.
It is a leading global consumer products company specialising in oral health care, personal care, household care, fabric care and pet nutrition.  Colgate-Palmolive’s products are sold in over 200 countries and include internationally recognised brands such as Colgate, Ajax, Cold Power, and Fab.

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[1] Our Oral Health: Key findings of the 2009 New Zealand Oral Health Survey, Ministry of Health 2009