Unwanted gear can find new purpose thanks to Replay
Wanted: Unused tennis racquets, cricket bats, balls, hockey sticks, golf clubs, softball gloves, table tennis bats, bowling balls, saddles, shin pads, rugby boots, boxing gloves . . .
A recycling bin was wheeled into Levin library Te Takeretanga o Kurahau-po¯ this week aiming to give new life to old sports gear.
Library cultural and community centre manager Neil Hirini was the first to donate — his rugby boots. It was tough to let them go, but he was comforted knowing they would be put to good use.
Ethan Pollock, who is the new community connector with Sport Manawatu¯ , said the Replay NZ sports gear bin was the first of its kind in Horowhenua.
“Essentially, we will be welcoming Horowhenua locals with quality sports gear — boots, balls, anything — to donate to the physical bin,” he said.
Pollock said Replay NZ was a notfor-profit initiative created to keep kids active with recycled sports gear.
“Replay NZ and myself will then be tasked to connect with the Horowhenua community and identify tamariki/rangatahi with significant challenges to participating in activity and sport and donate these goods to these people in need,” he said.
Replay started in February 2017, founded by the McLean Family in Palmerston North. An overdue clean up in their garage produced a large amount of sport gear no longer needed.
They decided to donate their gear, their goal was to give other children the opportunity to be involved in their sport.
A few phone calls, and a website quickly turned in to 48 bundles of gear.
Now, nearly five years later, over 35,000 pieces of sport equipment had been received and redistributed throughout the Manawatu¯, Tararua, Whanganui, Rangit¯ıkei, Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, and South Auckland regions.