The rights and wrongs of boxing fundraisers
ON behalf of the Sophie Elliott Foundation I wish to comment on remarks made by Civis in ‘‘Passing Notes’’ (ODT, 30.6.18).
Civis made the valid point that charity boxing matches for fundraising isn’t proportional to the aims. It also seems incongruous choosing our foundation, the aim of which is violence prevention.
While that may be so and, while my personal view of boxing is shared by Civis, I still applaud the president of OUSA and I wish Caitlin well.
Our foundation is partnered with the New Zealand police to provide oneday healthy relationship workshops for year 12 students. These have been overwhelmingly supported and now over 100 secondary schools run them.
Film resources to stimulate student discussion are supplied by us and money to make them comes from a variety of sources. Some individuals and corporates make direct donations. Others hold cake stalls, film evenings and community events and the like.
Caitlin and OUSA chose a charity boxing event. I thank them for their generosity of spirit.
We could long debate the rights and wrongs of this sort of fundraising but there is no easy answer to satisfy all. If there is a positive to come from this venture it is that the contestants will wear protective headgear, will train hard, learn strong defensive techniques and gain confidence in their abilities.
These are desirable traits, should they ever encounter threatening behaviours to themselves or others.
While I agree with much of what Civis says, I also see some positives from the contests in the ring.
Lesley Elliott Chair, Sophie Elliott Foundation
Treehouse saga
THE Dunedin City Council certainly knows how to make national headlines, again for all the wrong reasons, bickering over a children’s tree hut.
Once TV got hold of it, out come all the blustering legalities, so the council is now down to dictating how kids play, and say it acts only on ‘‘official complaints’’.
Perhaps between his worship the mayor and Cr Lord and his Rotary friends, they could pay a visit to Waikouaiti (the birthplace of Otago) and finish putting up our ‘‘halfbaked’’ bus shelters?
Now that I know that only complaints are acted on, maybe we’ll see some action.
I am advising that this is an ‘‘official complaint’’. Or should I contact TV’s Fair Go programme to take this issue up on bus users’ behalf?
Shirley Marion Hewlett
Waikouaiti
[Abridged]
JUST a little observation about the ‘‘treehouse’’ saga.
Were the leaden hand of bureaucracy which stifles all innovation and initiative to lie as heavily upon enterprise in more enlightened parts of the world, as it does on our own, there would be no George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces to enjoy on TV. Ian Smith
Waverley
Disposing of plastic
THERE has been a heck of a lot of exposure in the media of late regarding plastic waste or waste in general.
I understand that the bulk of all the waste collected at the roadsides is ‘‘bailed up’’ to go to landfill sites.
There has also been an announcement that an area in the vicinity of Big Stone Rd and McLaren Gully Rd is to be used as a storage area.
Would it be an absolute impossibility to backfill the several old disused underground coal mines in the greater Dunedin area? I have always been told that nothing is impossible, so why can’t this way of disposal be undertaken?
Murray Turner
Mosgiel