Community rallies, raises $15,000
Some were there for a bargain, but most of them were simply there for a little boy.
Hundreds of people swarmed a market fundraiser at Manchester School on Saturday to support the family of toddler Seth Maats, who has a rare form of cancer.
The two-year-old was diagnosedwith wilms tumour in December, after his parents noticed a lump protruding from his stomach. The illness attacks the kidneys, and Seth has already had one removed.
Market organiser, and Seth’s aunt, Amy Walters said many people arrived 30 minutes early, and it was difficult to manoeuvre around the tables of toys, clothes and furniture in the school hall.
The idea for the event came from her mother, Lynne Pearson, who had thought to host a small garage sale to fundraise for her grandson.
But Walters said, ‘‘if we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it properly’’.
They spent a couple of weeks collecting thousands of donated items from the community.
Ruth Tipene waited on a bench outside while her daughter sifted through the items for sale.
‘‘I didn’t come here for the stuff, I justwanted to support Seth,’’ she said.
Tipene nursed a smoothie from Cherish’s, a healthy food truck run by Cherry Anderson, who set her business up outside the hall.
She donated 100 per cent of the proceeds to the Maats family.
Anderson said she didn’t think twice when she heard she could get involved, she just offered to do it.
‘‘I was in a place to do it. I think anyone, even if you don’t have much to give, just gives what you can,’’ she said.
‘‘It gives me goosebumps just seeing Feilding come together like this.’’
Shane Kingston manned a pancake stall with his sons Joshua, 13, and Issac, 11.
He had heard about the fundraiser through church, and because Joshua had needed intensive care when he was young, said he related to the family’s struggles.
‘‘We thought, let’s get behind him.’’
Feilding’s Rapid Relief Team hosted a free sausage sizzle. Team leader Brett Wycherley said he had heard about the Maats from Feilding and District Promotion, and knew straight away theywanted to help.
The global organisation, which is run by the Exclusive Brethren, was known for feeding emergency crews during days-long events, but their marketing lead Nic Walton said they always picked at least one local ‘‘cause for humanity’’ to support each year.
$14,970 had been raised from the market on Sunday, and some sums were still coming in. Leftover items would be given free to families in need, or donated to Women’s Refuge.
Seth and his family were able to attend the first half hour of the event before beginning the drive to Starship Hospital in Aucklandwhere the toddler was due for surgery yesterday.
Father Ben Maats said they expected to be away for a couple of weeks as Seth recovered.
Neither parent had been able to work due to both the demands of Seth’s treatment and caring for his three siblings.
Three days before the fundraiser, Feilding’s Dominos pizza shop, run by Danny Parmer, raised $2050 for the family through a portion of sales and staff donations.
‘‘It gives me goosebumps just seeing Feilding come together like this.’’
Cheery Anderson