Why I donate to the Rescue Helicopter

Sarah Laurie is a great New Zealander

Over the past four years she has raised over $12,000 towards New Zealand’s rescue helicopters after being inspired to contribute after her family needed the service.

“I called dad’s mobile after an accident near our house only to have a paramedic from a Rescue Helicopter answer and tell me he had been in a car accident.

“I know dad is only here today because a rescue helicopter got him to hospital quickly to get the treatment he needed.”

Since then, Sarah has dedicated her spare time outside of work to raising funds for rescue services around the country including the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter Trust.

As well as raising funds, Sarah is also a member of the Support Crew – our regular donation programme, that gets the rescue helicopter off the ground – despite not living in Taranaki.

“When the Support Crew link came up on my Facebook feed I just thought, why not?” says Sarah, “I travel a lot for work, and I always think what if something happens to me if I’m in another region.”

Sarah has completed over 30 running events around the country to help build an affinity with some of the regions she is donating to.

“Every time I enter an event my aim is to fundraise for the helicopter service or other rescue charities in that particular area. The only thing I get out of all the fundraising is the knowledge I am helping to keep these vital services going.”

Outside of running events, her fundraising initiatives and selling jams and preserves and she also creates embroidery pieces which she donates to the various rescue services for them to use as they wish at an appropriate event.

“My first embroidery piece was to thank the crew for saving dad’s life. Somehow word spread and now I am in the process of completing works for rescue services in Australia, England, and Northern Ireland.”

Sarah has committed to a creating an embroidery piece to acknowledge 30 years of service of the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter in 2022 to help raise funds for the Trust.

“On average it takes around 6 to 8 months to complete one piece, and for Taranaki I would like to create a 45,000-stitch piece for next year. It will be my biggest one so far.”

Sarah has been nominated in the New Zealander of the Year Awards Local Hero in 2019 and 2020 which recognise everyday people doing extraordinary things in their local communities.

Find out everything you need to know about our Support Crew here: http://bit.ly/3d0iZWp