SKYCITY Queenstown Casino Community Trust supports diverse local activity

From sports uniforms to car seats, seminars to tennis court resurfacing, SKYCITY Queenstown Casino Community Trust has again provided funds for a wide range of community organisations and activities.

$95,809 has been distributed among 39 organisations in the Queenstown-Lakes District in this year’s SKYCITY Queenstown Casino Community Trust funding round.

Now in its ninth year, the Trust has donated close to a million dollars to more than 287 community groups in the region as part of its commitment and contribution to the Queenstown community.

“Once again we are delighted to support a diverse range of activity,” said Clark Pirie, Trust Chairman. “As Trustees we see some amazing projects and work going on in the community and it’s very pleasing to see the Trust’s funds make a significant contribution to the well being of our district.”

$1500 will go towards buying Netbooks for Hawea School while more than $3000 will help purchase iPads for Queenstown Primary School students. Also in the area of technology, the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind received $3000 to update its talking books from outdated cassette tapes to digital audio format. St John Wakatipu and St John Wanaka received $3489 and $3000 respectively for various projects while the Arrowtown Volunteer Fire Brigade received just over $3000 for a suction pump, two GPS systems and training costs. Sports groups receiving funds include the Arrowtown Tennis Club, Arrowtown Bowling Club, Queenstown Hockey Club and Queenstown Cricket Club. Queenstown Patchworkers and Quilters received $1500 for backing material for charity quilts, Remarkable Theatre has $2000 to help with production costs and RockFormation has $3000 to buy musical instruments.

Michelle Baillie, General Manager SKYCITY Queenstown, said the range of community activity is astounding.

“Across culture, education, sports, family support and community festivities, the Trustees have managed to distribute funds that support every age range in the community as well as a wide spread of interest and activity.

“SKYCITY Queenstown Casino is proud to be able to contribute to the community through the SKYCITY Queenstown Casino Community Trust and is delighted to have funded nearly one million dollars of community projects over the past nine years. The Trustees have again succeeded in helping a broad range of organisations and services and we look forward to seeing the ongoing benefits to our community,” she said.

Grant applications were decided by the panel of Trustees, Vicki Buckham, Kim Wilkinson and Kerry Harper alongside Trust Chairman Clark Pirie.

Grant recipients will be recognised and celebrated at a function at SKYCITY Queenstown Casino on October 5.

Applications for next year’s Trust grants will open again in June 2012.