Righto - so we've been selected to 'flex for the fern'.  Great, but at the same time, not so great, being that we've not been selected for the All Blacks, as those buggers get paid more in a month than most people earn in year, fly business class, and are paid for what they love to do - play a game!

We on the other hand, have to pay for the honour of representing our country - the curse of most minority sports in New Zealand.  However, the curse is offset by the blessing of living in small town New Zealand, where support for things like this is generally, superb.

So we beat the feet down the main street businesses asking for vouchers for a raffle to end all raffles.  Before we knew it, almost every business we asked contributed something. 

Now we have FOUR $500 voucher raffles, more food and bits and pieces than you can shake a stick at.  Each raffle is limited to 100 tickets at $5 each, so fingers crossed the $2000 worth of vouchers will raise $2000 worth of funds, enough for one of the two airfares needed to get us to the Philippines to do our stuff.

Raffles are going to be drawn no later than the 11th of October, before if we sell them all before then!

So thanks to the following businesses.

Brenton Lodge Bed and Breakfast, Stunning Views Bed and Breakfast, Breakers Motel, Bodywork Gym, Travel Smart Whangamata, Whanga Inc Tatoo, Strictly Time, Nero’s, Softy’s Sports Bar, Beach Hut, Achilles Store, Budda Lounge, Bunning’s Whangamata, Sand’s Café, Subway, Lazy Lizard Café, Mellsops Pharmacy, Craig’s Traditional Fish & Chips, Laurenzo’s Pizza & Mexican, Butcher’s Apron, Invigorate Health & Body, Bartley Internet and Graphics, Palm’s Tavern, Saltwater Surf Shop, Kiwi Kebabs, Funky Junction, Meat at the Beach, Sunnies, 100% Whangamata, Super Liquor, Bluefish Takeaways, Soul Burger, Minato Sushi, Supa-Fresh, Rossini’s Café, Bette Munro, Port Road Bakery, Vibes Cafe, Whangamata Furniture & Bedding, Slipper Store, United Video, Mum’s Corner Store.