Let the carton competition begin

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

After 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 thier teeth at least twice a day.

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

‘‘There’s a lot we can do to improve the oral health of Kiwi kids,’’ said Colgate Palmolive marketing director Jarrad Murray. ‘‘ We need to work harder to help our kids do better in this area.’’

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 winners in two major categories: schools with up to 250 pupils on their roll and schools with more than 250 pupils.

The winning schools must collect the highest number of Colgate toothpaste cartons for each 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 on a sporting theme. Photos must be uploaded to the Colgate website by Sunday, June 3, with all entries then judged by Colgate to produce 10 finalists.

People will then have the chance to vote on the most creative entries on the Colgate NZ Facebook page: facebook.com/ colgatenz.

For more information on the competition or to receive an entry kit, please visit: 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. It supports children’s athletics through the Colgate Games, New Zealand’s national interclub athletics competition for more than 30 years.