Ngakau Aroa: raising Games funds'

Cook Islanders living in Sydney, Australia, are making a wonderful effort to raise funds to assist Te Au-O-Tonga Vaka stage the Tumutevarovaro Games scheduled for December 2007.
Te Au-O-Tonga Mayor Mele Raita has just returned from Australia and told the Times the effort of Sydney Cook Islanders to raise money was a combined one involving Cook Islanders but mainly people that once resided or still reside in Te Au -O -Tonga.
Raita said on 17 February 2007 Sydney Cook Islanders launched their fundraising – they sold raffle tickets offering 40 prizes with the first prize being a free ticket to travel to Rarotonga for the games in December 2007.
“They also printed out brochures to sell with my photo and acknowledgement,” Raita said, “the art work included a Sydney Cook Islanders Logo and there were some memory lane songs performed.
Raita said there was also a social night where singers like Naea Robati, Koti Teina, Napoti, Mere Darling, Tara Makirere, Junior Tuakeu and Tupou – sang songs from the brochure a “Memory Lane of the Cook Islands.”
The major sponsors of the fundraising were four (4) main radio stations all over Sydney – Conveners of Radio 2000 FM – Itaea Bob, Ratio Tiare Maori, BFM1009 – Vera Tapena (Maine Poe Parau) Radio Skidrow 88.9 FM – Tracey Taripo Taruia, Island Breeze “Wow FM – Abigail Haurua (Maine Vaiana) and Alan Chapman – these are the sponsors for Radio Broadcasting advertising and interviewing me on their stations to get messages across to our people.
Theme of the fundraising is “NGAKAU AROA” and the theme song they nominated was
“Rarotonga Nui e” Te Mato i pao ia mai koe. These were hosted by a very small committee of Ms Mereana Taruia, Mary Nicholas and Naea Robati assisted by Ms Karen Dashwood and Ms Mata Wichman – the MC’s are Loui Takairangi and Rota Williams.
“The effort of these people was a success ,” Raita said,” Theyt reached the target that I had set them.”
Mean while in Melbourne, Rei Taripo, Teremoana Brown, Ana Tixier, Tearuru & Vaine Porio and others are organizing their fundraising targeted for 29th March 2007. Rei and Teremoana works for Radio 97.7 FM – “Avaiki Nui i te Maiata” and the radio station will be their main area of fund-raising for they are setting a Radiothon for that day. Raita said the Melbourne theme is “Vaka Aroa Te Au o Tonga.”
While in Melbourne Raita was able to share some moments with the Mayor of Greater Dandenong, hosting a cocktail for participants that attended a workshop hosted by the Council of Greater Dandenong, about Parenting Across Cultures. Cook Islanders that have attended these workshops are Pastor David Jonnassen, Mother Cathy and Rei Taripo. They represented the Cook Islands community in Dandenong discussing issues with different ethnic groups in Parenting. “It was a great pleasure for me at the time meeting up with the Mayor of Greater Dandenong, “ Raita said,”I had a memorable time talking to him and asked him what’s their Budget? – He said $100,000,000 dollars, Wow I wish I had that here !”

Headlines : Times 192 19 Mar 2007
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Headlines : Times 191 12 Mar 2007
- AGM suspended, rule change sought
- Court case ‘lost’ for nearly two years
- Busy time ahead for leading artist
- LA LAUNCH Gets Boost
- Rotoract success up at the Staircase
- Ngakau Aroa: raising Games funds
- Rwandan priorities similar to ours: Aunty Mau
- New ring coming, Oceania next month