Trust to manage sports fund

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 424, 18 February 1992, Page 3

Trust to manage sports fund

Representatives of Waimarino sporting groups turned up for the first meeting of the Waimarino Community Sports Education and Development Trust held at the Ohakune Primary School last Tuesday evening. Chairperson, John Laurenson, opened the meeting by outlining the background that led up to the formation of

the fund by a group of people who wished to see the Waimarino have a representative at the 1992 Olympic Games. He said that in July 1991, Phil Garland, the Waimarino's own New Zealand Clay Target Shooting Champion, stood an excellent chance of gaining selection to the New Zealand team and so many of his supporters got together

with the united aim of funding his development expenses to make sure that he was fully prepared. The now popular 'totanum' raffle was conceived and it was soon obvious that such a fundraiser had the potential to maintain an on-going fund for all sportspersons in the future so the group decided

to keep the fund going to promote the on-going education and development of sport within the Waimarino. Unfortunately Phil missed out on a place in the New Zealand team to Barcelona's Summer Olympics but the fund group is now ready to begin organising its criteria for future applicants.

Founder members, Glyn Hubbard and Clive Fremlin, spoke about the principal aims and possible criteria involved and it was noted that all applicants will be required to communicate through their sports club with planned expenditure and accountability. The Trust see development as a twoway concept and they would wish for mutual

benefit if possible, willing to help both residents of the Waimarino and those who have significant community interest and affiliations with the area. Neville Johnson, the originator of the idea, spoke of the reasons for the name change, to become a trust, as this would prove to be of greater benefit to applicants as well as making donations charitable. He also said the fund was

due to receive a substantial donation soon which would reduce the time by which the foundation fund could reach the planned $1 million within five years. A Public Meeting is to be held on Wednesday, 11 March at 8pm at Ohakune's Lion's Den when the Trust Document would be discussed. All sportspeople who wish to join the future trust board are especially urged to attend this meeting.