Motoring enthusiasts with an adventurous spirit and willingness to help others are wanted by an east Auckland Rotary club.
Bangers to Bluff is the biggest yearly fundraising activity for the Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay and it’s putting out the call for people to get behind the wheel for next year’s event.
Neil Sadgrove, of Half Moon Bay Rotary, says Bangers to Bluff is a car rally that drives from Auckland to the township at the bottom of the South Island “around March and April”.
“The idea is that participants beg, steal or buy a car for $2000 or less, and drive it to Bluff over 10 days. It’s great fun.”
Once the fleet of old jalopies gets to the end of the road at the Southland destination, all the vehicles are auctioned off for charity.
“We have some masthead charities we support, with the bulk of the funds raised going to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of New Zealand,” Sadgrove says.
Half Moon Bay Rotary raised and donated $71,000 to the MS cause from its involvement in Bangers to Bluff earlier this year.
It’s contributed more than $250,000 in total since the rally first roared into gear eight years ago.
Sadgrove says entries are limited to 16-18, “primarily to make the logistics easier”, such as for accommodation on the route, which gets off the main state highways in places.
“In addition to the $1250 entrance fee and the providing of a vehicle for auction, each entrant is also tasked with raising funds by way of sponsorship, where decals are displayed on the cars, and also of course by donation either direct to the club or via a give-a-little page,” he says.
“This is a serious commitment by each entrant. This year the total funds raised [from Bangers to Bluff] exceeded $100,000, which was a huge effort and by far our biggest fundraising event for our club.”
Other east Auckland organisations benefitting from the charitable deeds of the Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay are Bucklands Beach Yacht Club, Trees for Survival, Coastguard, and Men’s Shed Howick.
For those interested in taking part in Bangers to Bluff, contact Neil Sadgrove of Half Moon Bay Rotary, phone 021 418 184, email nsadgrove@xtra.co.nz.
For more information about Bangers to Bluff, see www.bangerstobluff.co.nz and it has a Facebook page.
