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Jim Hyslop and Haley Smith
Auckland Friendship Group
Jim is passionate about Cure Kids. In March this year, Jim, as an owner operator, organised the inaugural Corporate Cabs Charity Zoo Fun Run, giving children, including Cure Kids Ambassadors, a day to remember.
Not one to shy from a challenge, Jim has persuaded his partner, Haley, to hop out of her comfort zone and join him on this quest. Thank goodness he did cos she’s the powerhouse behind the fundraising; as organiser of the 600-member Auckland Friendship Group expect to see her giving the other competitors a hurry along.
When she grows up she wants a job on Top Gear and to own a Harley (although she confesses that if she were a car she would fail her WOF). The other teams should not underestimate these two.
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Rebecca Todd and Shanell Christian
Bad Habits
Both Rebecca and Shanell have a very personal connection to Cure Kids. Rebecca lost her husband to a brain tumour at just 34 years of age and then her son Liam (who is now a Cure Kids ambassador) was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer (a myoepithilial carcinoma in his sinus cavity) himself. Shanell lost her precious daughter Kyah to neuroblastoma just before her third birthday. They’ve been there for each other to support, drink wine and indulge in lots of chocolate during the tough times and will be there again for each other as they take on the race together. These are two strong women with a competitive spirit who are going to give it all they’ve got during the race!
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Tony Stevens and Mitch Hyde
Eighties Babies
Do not trust these two when they tell you “What goes on tour, stays on tour”. They may look innocent but they are, in fact, Fairfax reporters on a mission to gather news, and if that doesn’t work then they’re happy to create it!
So now you know, they’re not really babies at all! They may act like big kids but they are on a grown-up mission… they believe “All kids should be able to enjoy running around the backyard with their arms outstretched pretending they are Superman, just like they did (and still do)”.
Watch out for these trike-riding, dummy sucking athletes; they know how to win hearts and they will give anything a go to win!
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Grant and Sarah Smith
Fork N Spoon
As General Manager of Sime Darby Automobiles NZ, Grant is used to life in the fast lane. Having recently become big supporters of Cure Kids, Grant and his wife Sarah (a dynamic duo always up for a challenge) have been inspired to try make a difference in the world. By participating in the $10 Queenstown Challenge, team Fork N Spoon has generated a lot of financial support for Cure Kids, and hitch-hiking the length of the country will definitely push them outside of their comfort zone!
Team ‘Fork N Spoon’ had their ‘grand reveal’ at a fundraiser two weeks before the challenge—they were a big hit! With a great costume and a cheeky sign, it’s fair to say they’re unlikely to be missed by passersby… Keep an eye out for them on the road!
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James Webb and Martin Boys
Friday Pieday
From the depths of Northland and the Waikato come two fine creatures making their debut in the $10 Challenge. Rumour has it; they use a chisel to clean their teeth, sleep on a bed of nails and once swam the entire length of the Waikato River in mid July. Together, they are known as Friday Pieday.
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Moana Brown and Lisa Bradbury
Qantas Pink Ladies
We're part of the Qantas Airways Sales & Marketing Team in Auckland. Qantas Airways has been a Key Partner of Cure Kids since 2004 and we have been active members of our Fundraising Committee since then.
Since being the support crew for a previous Qantas team in the challenge back in 2005, we have wanted to enter ourselves and WE CAN'T WAIT!! We're both enthusiastic, easy going, totally up for anything and very passionate about supporting such a wonderful charity!
See you all in a couple of weeks!
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Andy McCarrison and Graham Peters
Rotary Woolly Wanderers
Andy and Graham have taken on the mantle handed down to them by previous competitors, Rotarians from the Rotary Club of St Johns of District 9920. They may be the elder statesmen of the event but do not be deceived. These two have many years of business experience between them and given their team name we can already guess that they will be well prepared for whatever conditions NZ’s winter throws at them.
Cure Kids (then The Child Health Research Foundation) was established by Rotary District 9920 in 1971 with a $250,000 donation to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Rotary in New Zealand. In 1975 the Foundation’s support was extended to Rotary throughout New Zealand and they have been at our side ever since including participating in constitutional and governance management aspects of Cure Kids.
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Hayley Anderson-Hamlin and Diane McAuliffe
Peter Pan & Tinkerbell
Hayley is the owner of a formal wear store in Cromwell which she opened at just 18 years of age. She has been a driving force behind her teams fundraising for the $10 Challenge and has been working hard at the gym to get in tip top shape for anything crazy the race might throw her way. Her team mate Diane is a busy mother of 3 and chief jaffa eater at Cromwell Copy and Print. She is up for any challenge and can’t wait to show the other teams what she’s made of come race time!
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Sean & Kim Armstrong
Team K Derby Dolls
Sean & Kim have a very personal reason for taking on the Accor Hotels $10 Queenstown Challenge. Three years ago their son, Keegan, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes which changed their lives dramatically. Cure Kids met Keegan and his mum, Kim, last year on Ticket to Hope, following which she decided to enter the event with her sister. Because our Cure Kids Ambassador parents are made of tough stuff she’s decided to come back again this year with husband, Sean, in tow this time.
Sean is also a member of the Rotary Club of Kawarau so if you are a Rotarian from District 9930 it’s not too late to donate.
When asked to describe themselves Sean said: “Usually a happy-go-lucky sort of guy who always does what his very beautiful wife tells him to do (most times); and she said: “Usually a happy-go-lucky sort of gal who always does what her very handsome man tells her to do (sometimes)”.
A team this tight is going to be hard to beat!
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Emma Beaumont and Catherine Marnane
Santa's Little Helpers
Emma Beaumont and Catherine Marnane will be taking on the $10 Challenge as ... Santa’s Little helpers! The girls are best friends at Cromwell College where Catherine is the head girl. These spring chickens will be full of energy and ready to take on any challenge that is thrown at them. They both love adventure, new challenges, kids and helping people so this is the perfect event for them… Do not underestimate this dynamic duo!!
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Tim Haycock and Dave “DaveDave” Weston
All Shook Up
These two adventure-seeking men have dropped all responsibility to step into the event last-minute, filling the (rather large) shoes left from team The Norse Force, who had to pull out 2 weeks before the event.
A little bit crazy, they weren’t crazy enough to try and take on the ‘Norse Gods’ persona, but have plans to make a mark of their own. There will be no missing these two Kings, who plan to charm their way up the country ... keep an eye out for them singing for their supper on the road!
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Kate Hutcheson and Stephanie Dole
Angry Birds
Two weeks before the beginning of the event, these two complete strangers took on the challenge and agreed to take over the mantle from team Wandering Eye, when Jo Holley and Miriama Smith had to withdraw from the event.
Both girls are high achievers, fun-loving and the life of the party... and somewhat competitive. Willing to put themselves on the line for a good cause, their primary objective is to win, and have as much fun as possible while doing it!
Look out for these two angry birds flinging their way to the finish-line!
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Hannah Ockelford and Tiffany Mitchell
Eva’s Angels
Tiffany is a super mum with 2 children – Mela (6) and Eva (4) who is a Cure Kids Ambassador. Hannah is a renowned 20/20 reporter and the two met when 20/20 covered miracle baby Eva’s inspirational story earlier this year. They’ve since become great friends and have taken on this challenge to “give back” to Cure Kids. “You make a living with what you get but you make a life with what you give”. These 2 are wholeheartedly committed to the fundraising and the challenges that lie ahead.
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Our Honorary Teams
With the rescheduling of the event, a few of our teams were unable to participate due to scheduling conflicts. Luckily some very brave souls have offered to fill in their shoes! We want to recognize those teams that, although unable to participate, have done an amazing job fundraising for Cure Kids.
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Chloe-Rose Barakat Devine and Finian Scott
Going Bananas
Chloe-Rose is currently studying law and history at the University of Canterbury. She is always up to new challenges and she is a very good friend of Lizzy Mckay, a Cure Kids ambassador who lives with Cystic Fibrosis. Chloe-Rose was doing the race with good friend Finian who was born and bred at a sheep farm in South Canterbury.
These guys raise an amazing $9,920!
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Will Hall and Jordan Mauger
Moa Hunters
Many of you will remember Will as Kip on Shorty Street (2007-2009). If you missed out then check him out on TVNZ’s latest RomCom from the creators of Go Girls, Nothing Trival on Wednesday nights. He is joined by great mate and fellow actor Jordan Mauger.
Due to a scheduling conflict this team had to pull out, but have raised an amazing $12,957! They are replaced by Eva’s Angels.
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Ben Barrington & Jared Turner
The Norse Force
Two heavenly beings from TV3's The Almighty Johnsons pantheon, Ben (Olaf) and Jared (Ty), have joined forces on their quest to win the Accor Hotels $10 Queenstown Challenge. They believe that, being deities, winning the challenge is preordained.
This is not their first quest for Cure Kids; Ben attended Ticket to Hope in June and met, first-hand, the very children they are now helping. These Gods have very big hearts but they also know that to work miracles you have to have faith as well as great supporters and sponsors.
Unfortunately due to filming schedules these guys had to silence their egos – but raised an incredible $9,475. They are replaced by All Shook Up.
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Jo Holley and Miriama Smith
Wandering Eye
In short, the Rose (Jo and Miriama) between two Thorns, The Norse Force and the Moa Hunters.
In their words:
THE CHALLENGE - to get from Queenstown to Auckland with just $10... "We'll bring back change”
THE ROADBLOCK - Our best mates are doing it too... "They will copy us, try everything to sabotage our quest but they won't beat us - They'll get used to leading from behind"
Our advice to the boys; do not take your eye off these girls; they may be late bloomers but they have looks on their side and cunning only their mothers could have taught them!
Unfortunately we’ll never see these gorgeous ladies in action! But they did raise a fantastic $7,000 and are replaced by Angry Birds. |
