Leanne Moyes at the 2018 Quiz Night.
Leanne Moyes wanted to do something special for the McKenzie Centre when her granddaughter Tanner Thomson started at Glenview School four years ago.
“Because they did such a lot for Tanner, I was thinking of buying something for the centre and (daughter) Megan said she was thinking along the same lines but then suggested organising a quiz night instead.”
When Leanne said that sounded like a good idea, Megan gave her the job of getting the prizes and so every year since, Leanne has pounded the streets for the McKenzie Centre’s major fundraising event.
Megan helps organise the event with other volunteers.
Since the Quiz Nights started in 2017, they have raised more than $60,000. The quiz was postponed last year due to Covid regulations, but planning is underway for this year’s event, says centre director Trisha Benge.
“That first year, I went out and got the prizes and we sold all the tickets to the event. I explained to businesses who I was and why my granddaughter went to McKenzie Centre and asked if they would like to donate a prize,” says Leanne.
“It doesn’t faze me to do things like that. I went all over; I went around Hamilton and to surrounding towns like Cambridge. We were in The Chateau and went to Taupo on the way back and I plucked up the courage and asked the bloke who drove the boat up the (Huka) falls if he would donate a trip and he said yes.”
“I drop tools and just do it for my grandkids and my kids. I’m happy to do anything, from wrapping prizes, to selling quickfire raffles on the night.”
McKenzie Centre is partly government-funded but, each year, must find an additional $200,000 to cover the costs of services to children and their families.
Leanne enters a team with friends and then stays behind with other volunteers to clean up.
“It gives me a pretty good feeling.”
She gets everything from vouchers to tickets donated and tells the story about going into Forlongs in Frankton and asking for a prize and they donated a king single bed valued at $800.
“You can’t praise the McKenzie Centre staff enough for what they do for children. Trisha’s leadership is fantastic, everyone is so helpful.
“When you see children who have challenges, I would do anything for them, I would drop tools and I would just go.”
Leanne knows it is going to be tougher getting prizes this year in the post Covid environment but that will not stop her because the McKenzie Centre continues to work so hard for families.
Trisha says while all tickets for the Quiz Night are sold and there are enough teams, McKenzie Centre still need more prizes for the auction.
“Covid has affected us, but we are all keen to go ahead. Thank you to everyone for the patience and for your past and ongoing support.”
Anyone wanting to contribute should contact Lillian Martin at the McKenzie Centre who is coordinating the 2022 event.