Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust cruising thanks to Freemasons
September 30, 2015Reflections – 125 Years of Freemasonry in New Zealand
October 5, 2015Freemasons ‘Bed Push’ in support of St Johns in Canterbury.
Over $80,000 raised for defibrillators in ambulances. Thanks to the Sons of the Widow.
A dozen bikers and their supporters are nursing tired legs and blisters after pushing a hospital bed 46 kilometres from Rangiora to Christchurch.
Widows Sons Motorcycle Club president Sam Rowntree said a little bit of pain and discomfort was worth it to save lives.
“It was a birthing bed, so it was reasonably heavy.”
The walk/run took 7.5 hours on Saturday .
“I don’t think we’ll make the record books for the fastest marathon,” he said.
The club, which is the Freemason’s motorcycle association, raised more than $80,000 to enable St John to buy much-needed defibrillators for its ambulances.
Rowntree said they were able to raise so much money because The Freemasons Charity matched dollar for dollar what Widows Sons raised.
The Widows Sons Motorcycle Club has raised thousands of dollars for Christchurch organisations so far this year, including the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and White Ribbon.
Photo: Lauren Turner, left, Mike Gaffney, Sam Rowntree and Don Brightwell are part of a team of 12 who pushed a hospital bed 46 kilometres from Rangiora to Christchurch Hospital to raise money for St John Ambulance.