Category: Challenge 2000

Seasons Greetings!

 

Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings

We would like to send out a huge thank you to all our supporters who have generously donated food items and gifts for families in need.

Christmas Hampers at Challenge 2000

The families and individuals we have delivered the hampers to have been very moved and excited by the community’s generosity, as Christmas can be a very difficult time financially.

For our staff this is a time to reflect and remind ourselves of the ‘WHY’ – why we are here working for an organisation like Challenge 2000.  We enjoy delivering the hampers, and to see the expressions and emotions from those who receive these gifts is heart-warming.

We would appreciate any further support you may be able to offer, in particular fresh meat and vegetables.  If you are able to donate any food items such as these, please contact us on Phone: 04 4770045 or 021 659354.

Families who are not being paid during the Christmas break are also finding it difficult, and we are able to accept any cash donations.   You can find our bank account details on our website here or feel free to call the number provided above.

We’d like to wish everyone a safe Christmas and thank you very much for all your support and aroha you have shown.

Staff off to deliver hampers

Staff off to deliver hampers

 

 

Gap Graduation

Our 8 gap students graduated with flying colours on December 1st 2013. It has been a fantastic year of challenge, growth, learning, experience and service. The 8 students achieved much and gave much this year. All past their NZQA youth work certificate and also gained full drivers licences and first aid certificates. For many it was also the first time they gained a New Zealand passport with 4 ‘gappies’ travelling to Samoa and Mexico respectively.

Gap Year GraduationGap Year students 2013

 Gap Year students in Mexico

 

Gap year students in SamoaThis year gap students mentored young people, worked on youth development programmes, supported the youth workers at Newlands Community centre, helped lead court supervised camps, tutored young people, lead holiday programmes, washed cars, cooked and served food, run groups in 5 different colleges, designed websites, typed and photocopied

It’s not too late to apply for gap 2014. Fill in the online application form and say YES to a year that you won’t ever forget.

Feedback for some of the gap year students 2013

“The gap year has taught me so much about myself and who I really am. I walked out of the gap year a lot more confident within myself and a greater understanding of myself and the different things that I am able to share with other people. Throughout the year I have done so many things that I never thought I would have done especially at my age. From the weekly placements, to the NZQA papers, to the overseas cultural experience in Samoa, to the talks that we had. Even though it wasn’t an easy choice to say ‘YES’ to the gap year, looking back at it now it was the best decision that I made at the end of 2012.” ~Courtney Halliday

This unique gap year has been so important for me at this time in my life. After leaving college last year overwhelmed by how many different options I had to choose from I am so thankful that i opted for a Challenge 2000 and Society of Mary Gap year. I have experienced so much over the last year. My world view has changed and I now see myself, others and New Zealand in a different way. This is definitely a year I will look back on with no regrets and identify it as an important stage in my personal growth and development. At this stage next year I am intending to go to Victoria university and do a BA majoring Social Policy. Many thanks to everyone who made it possible. ~Anna Hoskins

Christmas Wishes

The board, staff, volunteers and whanau at Challenge 2000 say a huge thank-you for all their love, support, care and commitment that you have given to us in so many ways during 2013. We wish you all a very happy, peace filled and life-giving Christmas. We look forward to seeing you in 2014.

“We must not seek the child Jesus in the pretty figures of our Christmas crib. We must seek him among the undernourished children who have gone to bed at night with nothing to eat.”
~ Archbishop Oscar Romero

Challenge Christmas Crib

 

Summer Holiday Programmes

Summer holidays have been and gone, but we sure did have a lot of fun!

These holidays we ran four activities days that included Battle Hill Orienteering, Sports, more Sports and Swimming!

Lets start at the very end of our holiday programmes… Friday 24th January found us at Battle Hill where the young people and staff were split into groups, given a compass, a set of questions to answer by traversing Battle Hill and the time when our BBQ lunch would be ready. It was such a gloriously sunny day that we were all had to be conscious of applying and reapplying sunscreen! Young people and staff learnt the significance of Battle Hill and some of the history behind it and all groups climbed to the top.

 

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We started our holiday programmes with a Swimming Day at Keith Spry pools in Johnsonville, which had young people and staff splashing and laughing playing on the inflatable toys, trying to get the ball in the basket ball hoop, snorkeling and the favoured activity of jumping off the diving board to see who could make the biggest splash! IMG_0529 (2)

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Then on Wednesday 15th and 22nd January we went along to ASB Sports Centre for a sports-stravangaza! We played Hockey, Badminton, Basketball, Netball, Dodgeball and Ki O Rahi. Young people and staff had a great time competing against each other!

Thank you to those that have supported us and made our adventures possible, especially Pub Charity.

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25th Birthday Dinner

Challenge 2000 25th Birthday Dinner

On Sunday 1 December 2013, we celebrated Challenge 2000’s silver jubilee with a birthday dinner at The Pines restaurant. Wellington turned on a perfect day in honour of the occasion!

Nic Anna Sharon Anya

The evening was a wonderful celebration of 25 years supporting young people and families in our community. Current staff and board members were joined by young people, family, friends, volunteers and members of the community who have supported Challenge2000 throughout the past 25 years.

 The Men

Our MC Tim Gordon lead us through an evening where we were entertained with stories of the early days, memories were shared, old and new friends met, and new connections were formed. We were all in awe of the talents of Vocal FX who performed some barbershop items for us. The final act was a song written by one of our staff in honour of the 25thbirthday – a fitting tribute!

Chris and Lynley copy

During the evening, Fr Eddie Condra was honoured for his part in the founding of Challenge in 1988, and his faithful commitment to the ongoing work of Challenge 2000 today. 

Haka

Guests were given a candle to take away with them as a symbol of hope for the future – to remind them of the work that Challenge 2000, with the support of so many, does to keep the dream of social justice, social responsibility and personal dignity for all people alive!

Car Wash Fundraiser

On Saturday 16th November we will have a team of car washers in the Remax car park, 18 Moorefield Road (by our admin building), with buckets, sponges, cleaning supplies and big smiles ready to clean cars! If you, your family or friends have a car please come on down and support us, it’s only $5 per car!!

If you have any questions re this event, please contact Bridget Masoe on 477 0045.

 

 

Hawkes Bay Service Day

During our confirmation classes in term 2 a big focus was put on service and the practical outreach of being a church. Now in their holidays 13 young people turned up for a Service Day in which we had fun while doing some hard work. We moved a huge pile of sawdust for the local school grounds man, and cleaned windows for the local church. Half of us also went to a local hospice and learned a bit of what they do and then spent time cleaning, sweeping and dusting. All were grateful for the help.

Well done to those who turned up and put the effort in!

 

Working and having fun!

Working and having fun!

Hard at work

Hard at work

 

Tired after a hard day of work!

Tired after a hard day of work!

 

 

Street Day Appeal 2013… THANK YOU!

HIGH 5!

High 5

Thank you for helping us to change young lives.

On the 6th of September we had our annual Street day appeal. All of our staff, gap students, family members and many volunteers went out onto the streets to collect and busk to raise money to fund the programmes that are run throughout the year. Everyone was very excited, and looked forward to collecting as well the opportunity to promote Challenge, the work that we do, who we are, and talking about some of the many programmes that we offer. Without the help and support of the Wellington public we wouldn’t have the flexibility that we have to be able to create different programmes that meet the needs of the people who we work with. This was a day enjoyed by all, and we want to say THANK YOU to all our collectors and the wonderful people of Wellington who donated.