Charities benefit at Z station
Filling up at Z Matamata and taking the time to pay inside, could help a Matamata charity claim a share of $4000.
The Matamata Men’s Shed is one of the charities chosen as part of Z Energy’s Good in the Hood during May.
HeartKids Waikato, Hospice Waikato and Sweet Louise are the other three charities chosen for Matamata.
Matamata people will determine what percentage of the funding goes to each group by voting with an orange token each time they shop at Z in May.
Matamata Men’s Shed chairman Bill Hughes says members are thrilled to be included in the fundraiser.
He hopes people will take the time to go on the Z store and select a charity to support.
The organisation’s philosophy is to provide friendship, camaraderie and support for the mainly retired men living in the community.
About 14 men are regular members at the Men’s Shed, taking on small workshop based building projects.
They operate out of the Rewa St workshop every Tuesday and Thursday.
HeartKids provides life-long support for those affected by a childhood heart condition, Sweet Louise improves the quality of life for anyone affected with incurable breast cancer and Hospice cares for people with a life limiting illness.
Each of the charities are supporting or have supported families or people in Matamata.
Hospice Waikato operates an opportunity store on Broadway, with funds going directly back into the community.
Z Community Manager, Christine Langdon, said the need that each group is addressing will be labelled on the voting booths, so people can see the impact the funding will have.
This year all groups were required to have a local representative.
And this in turn resulted in more small, grass-roots groups in the programme than ever before.
‘‘Local groups often know best what change or help is most needed in communities.
‘‘So it’s exciting that Good in the Hood is incubating lots of small groups, to help them get off the ground,’’ Langdon said.
On top of the $4000, every Z service station has an additional $1000 to use for discretionary Good in the Hood neighbourhood support in 2017.