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The Sun
Wednesday June 26, 2019
Lifeboats where there are none By Aimee O’Hagan For Rapaura School students, Milly Gjelstad and Kayla Collins, a small school enquiry has been turned into a fundraising project – one that has the potential to make a big difference in many strangers’ lives. After being asked by their class teacher to look into the topic of voyaging, Kayla mentioned to Milly that it “would be a cool idea to make it about the Syrian refugee crisis”. “It’s a little bit different to what everyone else is doing,” Milly says. “But it is a little more interesting for us I think... We would prefer to learn about it.” Looking into the subject further brought the two year eight pupils to one conclusion: their project would be to raise money for international organisation, Atlantic Pacific. “They [Atlantic Pacific] take lifeboats out into the Mediterranean Sea to save Syrian refugees who are trying to flee the war,” Milly says. “They really need funding for new lifeboats, because at the moment they are using lifeboats that were used for training in Europe. “We’ve chosen to do a fundraiser instead of anything else so we can do something about it... So we can make a difference, I guess.”
The girls’ goal is to raise $1500 – and they are well on their way to fundraising this money, having already made $820. All of the money has been raised through various bake sales and through the girls’ Givealittle page. “It would be good to have people donate to the cause!” Milly exclaims. “It’s exciting to see where this goes.” Kayla says that researching the cause – even talking with the founder of Atlantic Pacific, Robin Jenkins – has really made herself and Milly more aware of issues happening outside of NZ, particularly the crisis in Syria and the troubling experiences of refugees. “Before we did this enquiry, we didn’t know much about what they had to go through and how far they had to travel – I’m sure alot of people didn’t either. “They have to make really hard decisions and even after they’ve travelled 3,000 miles, sometimes they still aren’t safe where they are. “It’s good to understand and be aware!” Kayla adds that she and Milly hope this fundraiser will make a “big difference”.
Milly Gjelstad (left) and Kayla Collins show photographs they came across in their research about the Syrian refugee crisis.
Villa destroyed in blaze Emergency services that attended a house fire on New Renwick Road yesterday morning did all they could to save it, but it was destroyed. The villa style house which featured a steeple design on the roof is located opposite the Wither Hills Winery. It caught fire just before 11am and it wasn’t long be-
fore the raging fire took hold. Firefighters did all they could but couldn’t get it under control. Firefighting crews from Renwick, Blenheim, Waihopai Valley, Rarangi and Picton attended and the road was closed off to motorists. No one was in the house during the blaze.
LEFT: RSE workers continue their work in the vines while a house on New Renwick Road burns in the background. Firefighters battled the blaze which took hold of the house opposite the Wither Hills Winery on New Renwick Road yesterday morning. Photo provided.
What we say is what you’ll pay
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