Tees for tourists will support Golden Bay schools
Tees for tourists. Photo: supplied
A group of parents has come up with a new fundraising idea for Golden Bay’s schools that may reduce the financial pressure on local businesses and private households.
With a deposit of $500 from each school, a seeding fund was set up to purchase T-shirts and to have them printed with “It’s just a hill – get over it”. They will remind tourists or visiting relatives of one of the most captivating hill rides in the country, or could be a suitable birthday present for anybody who has made it “over the hill” agewise. Ten dollars of every T-shirt sold will go to the schools in half-yearly payments.
Co-organiser Sarah Watson says that demands for computer upgrades, new sport equipment, school trips and more put increasing financial pressure on schools operating in a tight fiscal environment, and that fundraising was becoming more and more important.
“This is why you have to be innovative and think outside the square. We got together as a group to see if we can work together to raise money for a common cause. It is an intelligent and energetic group of people, and Kay Stark has been a driving force behind it. The idea is to market the T-shirts mainly to tourists, instead of asking the locals again to put their hands into their pockets.”
Sarah said that the first year would involve a bit of a trial-and-error. “We produced 200 shirts, and once we have our money back we will use it to print some more. We only expect to make some profit the third time round,” says Sarah. “The T-shirts are available in black, grey and white in a man’s, a woman’s and a child’s size. We really wanted to keep it as simple as possible at this stage and if there is a market for it we will trial different sizes and colours.”
Local businesses have been supportive, and the group has received $200 from Trash Palace and $1000 from Fresh Choice. The group has permission to advertise the tees at the supermarket, and hopes to put a poster up at the I-site.
The T-shirts are available from the GB Gallery, Pounamu’s shop, Paddy Gillooly’s Farewell Spit Tours, Bencarri Farm Park, the Collingwood Post Shop and through Facebook.
Ina Holst
