Vintage bikes boost hospice
A vintage motorcycle display, which included a replica of the World’s Fastest Indian bike, has provided a welcome cash injection for Arohanui Hospice.
The Manawatu¯ Classic Motorcycle Club handed $8000 to the hospice on Sunday from its July show, which featured vintage bikes, one-off builds and the one made famous by Kiwi motorcycling ace Burt Munro.
The hospice cares for 220 patients, but is only partially-funded by the Government, chief executive Clare Randall said.
It needs to fundraise 44 per cent of its operational funding – $2.82 million this year.
Randall said community support was essential, and brought the hospice closer to meeting its funding shortfall so it could continue to help patients with cancer or other end-stage illnesses.
‘‘We really appreciate the thoughtfulness of people in the community who organise and run events, such as the Manawatu¯ Classic Motorcycle Club’s big show, and then generously donate the proceeds to the Hospice. We also thank members of the public who attend the events in support.
‘‘It all helps us to achieve our vision, which is to ensure that people with lifelimiting conditions gain the most from life, live well and die well, with peace, dignity and comfort, irrespective of their condition or care setting.’’
This was the fifth year the club held a show and it drew about 200 entries from all aspects of motorcycling, including veteran, vintage, classic and modern motorcycles.
The club was formed in 1979 by a group of motorcycle enthusiasts with the aim of preserving classic motorcycles and fostering motorcycling activities.
The feature this year was a model of Burt Munro’s hand-built Indian Scout-based streamliner, in which he set a land speed record in 1967 of 296.26 kilometres an hour, organiser John Rushton said.
One of the hospice patients, Arthur Tepania, was particularly grateful.
The Palmerston North man owns a Harley Davidson Low-rider and is a member of the Patriots New Zealand Defence Force Motorcycle Club.