Hands (and spades!) needed for planting day

Taupiri Youth Group

 

All hands are needed for a community planting day at Taupiri Mountain this Sunday (July 2.)  Taupiri Youth group leader Sharnay Cocup wants to see as many people as possible take part.

She has been leading volunteers up the mountain for at least four years since forming the Taupiri Youth Group Charitable Trust, when she was 18.

“I gathered a bunch of kids and we went up with spades and gumboots, going up the mountain regularly to keep the gorse down and open the tracks,” she told N8N last year.

This year the planting day will see hundreds of native trees and shrubs planted in a project funded through grants and prize money the group have secured.

“The kids are priceless,” she says. “They’ve done all the work and now have something to call their own. The community comes up and takes part in planting days; everyone is so supportive.”

Taupiri Youth Group
Out of gumboots – the night they won their award.

Last year Sharnay won Volunteering Waikato’s Volunteer of the Year – Youth Award last year, and earlier won Waikato District Council’s Like a Boss category in the inaugural Youth Awards.

Work will begin at 10am, on Sunday 2 July.  “We are also running a group/team or individual competition back in the day game – King of the Mountain- the first person to climb to the top and bottom will win, there will also be spot prizes and a sausage sizzle for a gold coin donation, plus drinks and bottled water.

“So bring the kids and come have some fun – everyone is welcome!”

For more information, phone 020 400 86329.

Click here for a feature profile on Sharnay and her work on Number 8 Network.

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N8N

Number 8 Network - a community website for the rural areas northeast of Hamilton, NZ, is run by Gordonton journalist/editor Annette Taylor.

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