Bags ease boredom in hospital
ATaranaki lightening fast broadband provider hopes to help make the hospital.time fly for children in
NakiCloud and Speedster’s staff banded together to create Starlit HOPE boredom buster bags, which will be given to children undergoing treatment at Taranaki Base Hospital.
Company spokesman Ryan Eagar said there were happy to support the charity. ‘‘If we have our team here and just rip into it, we can get them done pretty quick,’’ he said.
The two businesses are under the same umbrella, but NakiCloud offers internet to business while Speedster has residential customers.
They started the boredom buster bag project several months ago by donating one to Starlit HOPE for every Speedster internet package sold.
‘‘We were looking for a local organisation to support and we reached out to the Gabby Devine’s Starlit HOPE to see how we could help. We offered them a free internet connection for the year so that they can do their thing without the bill. Then we got the idea of actually helping to make the boredom buster bags.’’
Starlit HOPE was started by Gabby Devine, who died last year aged 13 from bone cancer. Her charity is all about supporting children in hospital and their families.
‘‘Starlit HOPE, they’re actually doing something that makes a difference,’’ Eagar said.
Over the last few months the company has made more than 100 bags. Inside the bags was colour pencils, colouring books, tattoos, and gender appropriate craft and project kits.
During the recent Chamber of Commerce showcase the company created a stall where people could participate in the project. ‘‘It was quite interactive and a lot of people got a kick out of it.’’
Eagar said the company supports many causes, most often with free internet. ‘‘We’ve been raising money for the skate park, which is being fully replaced out at Oakura.’’
They’re currently in discussion with schools about supporting their projects.
‘‘There’s a bunch of little things. It’s not pre-defined, it’s almost opportunistic. As a business owner in this community you do get asked a lot. It is difficult because sometimes you have to say no,’’ he said