$18k raised in a month

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Local business gets behind local women’s refuge centre

The goal was a little more than $5000. The reality was the Car Company was able to raise $18,660 for the Nelson Women’s Refuge during the month of October leaving organisers “thrilled, excited and absolutely blown away”.

The idea to support the refuge was that of Car Company owner Shane Drummond and his team got right in behind, led by business manager Tracey Black. Staff collected on the streets of Nelson and Richmond, hosted a fundraising quiz night and donated $50 from each car sold during the month to the cause.

The grand total was announced on Classic Hits on Friday and Shane was on cloud nine. “I’m proud of the team and whole idea of it and that we achieved the two things we set out to do, raise awareness for them and generate some money. I think we blew both out as far as what we expected to do.”

Nelson manager of the women’s refuge Trudi Brand says she can’t believe the total and says it will go a very long way to helping Nelson families and comes after an announcement by police that Nelson has the highest family violence problem per capita in New Zealand.

“It’s amazing for us to have a local business come along and raise so much money. It just blew us away when they first mentioned it and now that we have the total I still can’t believe it. It will make such a big difference to us and helping us bring that ranking of worst in New Zealand down.”

Shane says the success of the month and seeing how much it is needed has left a repeat in no question. “We’re definitely doing it again and will make it an annual event. But the bar has been set and it will be very difficult to match it.”

Tracey says the overriding message of the whole campaign has been the community working together. “We’ve led it but it’s been the people of Nelson that have supported it and donated to help this cause so I think the whole region should be proud of themselves.”

Shane agreed: “When you hold your bucket out it’s bloody pleasing to know that people were heading towards us knowing  what we were doing, what we were representing and had money ready. To come out with $5000 from four street appeals blew us away.”

Donations from the community for the auction at the quiz night also helped raised the total with a Richmond couple donating a brand new 42 inch television which went for $560.