Our replacement car

Did you know that over 620,000 New Zealanders have a diagnosis of one of the more than 140 forms of arthritis!

That’s like… heaps! Which means chances are, if you do not have arthritis yourself somebody you know will!

Here is the thing with charities (groups like us), as we can’t rely on the tax payer’s money; it makes the money we receive far more meaningful as chances are we have had to work a lot harder for it. For example, 87% of the money we receive is because everyday people like you choose to donate it to us so that we can offer services to tens of thousands of people throughout the country every year, not because we are constantly on the receiving end of a gravy train (which clearly we are not!)

Admittedly on occasion things get tight, and we are faced with those challenges of needing to find creative ways of raising funds for things to keep the organisation humming! Similar to oiling a car, but we are getting to that!

We always have to try new things and think up new ways of appealing to you the supporter, because let’s face it, arthritis does not have the same ring or image to it as a number of other charities. So we are always working extra hard to impress ?

This year, we need to raise some serious cash otherwise our Wellington arthritis educators are going to be doing the hikoi express (walking) around the country to provide a number of services. Arthritis New Zealand needs some new wheels!

Its ok, we are not trying to buy a new Lamborghini or Mercedes Benz but we do need to raise $20,000 to purchase second hand Toyota Corolla so that our educators can keep delivering their services.

Mind you, if anybody out there has a late model Toyota that for some crazy reason is no longer needed, feel free to pledge that instead ?