Pupils at Egmont Village School now have a friendship chair thanks to the Scooby Doo Crew.
Fred aka Warren Haakma, Velma aka Fay Haakma and Scooby aka Cees Meeuwsen crew the Mystery Machine.
They couldn’t wait one more sleep for the official Variety Trillian Bash to start as they presented their friendship chair to the school.
Fred explained how the friendship chair worked to the children, staff and parents.
“If you are a bit sad and lonely when you sit on the friendship chair that is a sign for someone else to come and sit next to you and be your friend.”
Egmont Village School Principal Raewyn Rutherford said they were privileged to receive the chair and she could see little girls using it heaps because they often came up to staff and said ‘no-one will play with me today’.
“I thought the offer of the friendship chair was wonderful. We found out about three weeks ago that we had been chosen as the recipients.
“I think the idea of having the chair is great. It is a really lovely idea that fits in nicely with our values of giving, sharing and helping others that we have in place at school.
Fred AKA Warren Haakma has been bashing for 20 years and has only missed three road trips. Thelma AKA Fay has done 6 main bashes along with 8 mini bashes and says “it’s something that gets in your blood and you just have to do it for the kids”.
“It can get quite emotional sometimes when you are seeing the joy it brings or the difference you make when you are giving an insulin pump, a wheelchair or a scooter to a kid that really needs the help.”
Team members of What a Load of Bull and The Tron were there to support the Scooby Doo Crew as they handed out giveaways before letting the children inspect their vehicles.
Both Scooby Doo Crew and What a Load of Bull display a tribute photo of westie comedian Ewen Gilmour.
What a Load of Bull team captain Lyndon Tamblyn was encouraged and then supported by the late Ewan Gilmour into being a variety basher.
“I was selling beef jerky and I didn’t really know who Ewan Gilmour was. He kept taking my samples at a trade show. I said if you like it that much have a bag!”
Later that evening he went on stage and told jokes. In the middle of the jokes he stops and eats his beef jerky and says Lyndon the guy down the back, he’s got beef jerky.”
“I thought you are actually quite a good bloke. I got to know him over a number of shows we did together with him the comedian and me an exhibitor. We bounced off each other and it was just great.
“He said you should do the variety bash. I quickly said I would love to and the rest is history.”
The official 25th Variety Trillian Bash kicked off the next morning with 35 vehicles assembling at East End Surf Club for breakfast.
Dresssed as Lady Penelope Variety Club Ambassador Suzy Cato was set to travel in style with the Thunderbirds are GO crew as they left New Plymouth.
“The BASH is a great way of promoting Variety, especially through the small towns where Variety can play a huge part of a child’s life. We don’t go down the main roads. We go off all the little side tracks and side roads. We meander our way across the country.
In doing that we meet a whole lot of people we wouldn’t normally meet, we see a whole lot of amazing scenery and get to go to places that the average kiwi wouldn’t get to do.
It’s meeting the people – that’s the highlight for me. By talking to them and sharing your love for the bash the love is shared!”
Suzy has been involved in many Variety Bashes and is excited to be celebrating 25 years.
“We watched a montage of clips last night as part of the celebration dinner. Oh that brought back some memories. There were some fun times; crazy times and very wet times but definitely all were fun times.
Proud to be one of the Variety Club Ambassadors Suzy Cato just wants to say:-
“If you see one of our crazy cars please toot or give us a wave. If we are wandering along the street maybe drop some gold coins into the bucket. Every single dollar is going to those kiwi kids to help make their lives a little brighter, to put smiles on their faces and it’s all about having heaps of fun. We are sunshine vehicles – it’s a wonderful event!”
To donate online to the Scooby Doo team go to https://varietybash2015.everydayhero.com/nz/scooby-crew
2015 Bash 6th to 14th March
This will be the 25th Anniversary Bash. Starting in New Plymouth, teams will travel South to Wellington, then back up to finish in Auckland.
The event will be capped off by a Gala Function celebrating 25 Years of Bashing in NZ.
This will be one of the bigger bashes covering all the towns that the bash teams reside in, so get your fun stops organised, extra beds ready or maybe shift towns for the week but hey the Bash is coming to your town!
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