A philanthropic gay Aucklander is taking things a little easier this week after being part of a team which raised $14,000 for Cure Kids, by making it all the way from Auckland to Queenstown without spending a cent. Regular GLBTI community volunteer Matt Jackson took up the new challenge quickly after stepping down from the Cartier Trust after five years, even though he was actually looking forward to a chance to regroup and refocus on himself. “I wasn’t really planning on anything. Then I saw this challenge to get to Queenstown on $10 and thought I’m up for that and then got fully engrossed in Cure Kids and the rest is well, history.” Jackson joined up with a good friend Trudi, who runs Razzbri Digital Recruitment which provided the $10 Queenstown Challenge for Cure Kids team with its name, Razbri Runners. They didn’t actually end up doing a lot of running, but the name stuck anyway. The event was not without its challenges, especially with Trudi breaking her wrist days before the event “We couldn’t do a number of the challenges, but there was always a reminder that Cure Kids finds cures for kiwi kids and are the reason we do this, so it was pretty much a perspective thing.” The pair actually didn’t spend any of the $10 it was allocated, and in fact donated it back. Running into Lake Wakatipu in full costume was a highlight, as was taking out the trophy for raising the most funds. This was thanks to the help of plenty of others, such as Shortland St’s Jacqueline Nairn and the aforementioned Tess Tickle, who were part of a charity auction that raised the majority of the cash. The pair also received significant support from Brad and Andy at Coffee Club, Number One Shoes, Mr Vintage and LoveBlock Vinters, who Jackson wishes to acknowledge. At the fundraiser Jackson says the event was amazing and words can’t sum up the feeling of achievement. “It’s more than raising funds or completing challenges it the satisfaction of helping raise funds to find cures to cure kiwi kids and the lasting lifelong friendships that are made. “It’s all a bit surreal now that life isn’t in a pink onsie,” he says, referring to a costume which was made by Jen Jones, who makes costumes for drag divas Buckwheat and Tess Tickle. Jackson says he will probably sign up again next year.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 10th October 2013 - 1:17pm