A vintage year for daffodil fundraiser
Seven shiny vintage cars waited patiently in the sun behind Nelson’s Christ Church Cathedral before they picked up Daffodil Day volunteers for a ride.
It was the first time the Nelson Vintage Car Club had volunteered their time and prized vehicles to help deliver daffodils to the businesses that pre-ordered them. Seven club members in their classic cars met up behind the cathedral before they headed to the Cancer Society centre on Hardy St in Nelson to pick up seven groups of volunteers and buckets of daffodils.
The group drove the volunteers to several businesses in Port Nelson, Tahunanui, Richmond and Stoke, delivering a total of 204 bunches of daffodils.
Club member Trevor Evans said the members were happy to lend a helping hand for a good cause and that they took great pride in their cars. ‘‘It’s our way of giving back to the community.’’ The cause is one close to Evan’s heart, as he himself has had cancer.
The club got involved after the South Canterbury Vintage Car Club in Timaru asked them to join a challenge to see which club could get the most vintage cars involved for Daffodil Day. Evans said when the challenge first started, Timaru had only one vintage car ready to go, but after hearing the Nelson club got seven, they tried to get some more involved.
He said it would take them about three hours to get around to all of the businesses for the deliv- eries.
Cancer Society centre manager Linda Lucre said the volunteers had been ‘‘absolutely fantastic’’.
‘‘The daffodils are a wee bit slow this year, however the ones that bloom after Daffodil Day will still be sold.’’
‘‘We’ve got lots of volunteers delivering them and getting them from their gardens.’’
August 26 is Daffodil Day, the Cancer Society’s annual flagship event and main fundraiser, as the organisation does not receive government funding. On Daffodil Day the flowers will be sold throughout the region.