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Press, 12 April 1979, Page 4

The Mayor of Christchurch (Mr H. G. Hay) is caught in a reflective mood in his office yesterday as he signs a cheque for S2O to launch Air New Zealand’s 1070 campaign to send 230 under-privi-leged and intellectually handicapped children on a 10-day trip to Disneyland in October. Behind Mr Hay is the Mayoress (Mrs Judith Hay) and Miss Sue Nicholson, an employee of the airline and “Miss New Zealand” in 1974. Mr Hay bought two tickets for the black-tie film premier of ‘‘The Adventures of the Wilderness Family,” which will be shown in the four main cities on May 3. Proceeds from the tickets sales in Christchurch will go towards the $25,000 needed to send 30 Canterbury children on the trip. Tickets for tho premiere, at the Odeon Theatre, will be on sale today at the Mount Cook Travel offices in Riccarton

Road and Cathedral Square, the theatre, Avis Rental Cars at Christchurch Airport, and at Air New Zealand’s flight kitchen at the airport. A champagne reception will follow the film, and the ticket stub could win a trip for two for a week to Fiji, with Air New Zealand paying for the fare and accommodation, or a Mount Cook Airline’s trip for two to the Bay of Islands. Mr Hay will draw the winning tickets at the reception. The 230 children will spend 10 days in the United States as Air Neu' Zealand’s gesture of support to the International Year of the Child. Since 1971, the airline has given an annual Christmas party for underprivileged and intellectually handicapped children, but a member of the organising committee, Mr Graeme Durston, says it was decided to expand

the party this year because of its significance» for children. The 10-day programme includes visits to Disneyland, Universal Studios, a lion safari park, the San Diego seaworld, the Queen Mary, and farms. Organisations in Los Angeles have offered to assist the Air New Zealand cabin staff, who are giving up their holidays to make the trip with their charges. The venture is expected to cost about $170,000. Other promotional events throughout New Zealand will supplement the money made on the film premiere. Air New Zealand hopes to encourage “thousands of school children” to sponsor a child’s trip in October.

Children chosen to make the trip wilt be picked “for thc-’.r determination, endeavour, and achievements in coping with their particular disability or situation,” and will be aged between eight and 16.