Recently BNI Larnach organised a hugely successful inaugural cycling event that raised $3,584 for the Otago Community Hospice. The BNI Rail Trail Challenge took place over Waitangi Weekend and was a tremendous effort by all.
Wonderful friendships developed over the course of the event. It was a great opportunity for BNI members from all over the country to get together – which we don’t do that often. Hopefully in future we will have more opportunities for this type of cross-chapter interaction, especially around events. It’s a great chance for business relationships to grow in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.
35 cyclists took part in the 4 day event with some cycling the entire 315 km. Considering it was the first time that we’ve put on such an event, everyone was delighted with the numbers and the amount that was raised for hospice. Participants came from different BNI groups throughout New Zealand. We had a couple from Wellington, two from Christchurch, one from Dunedin and 1 all the way from Canada. It took about six months to plan and we had support from a local business, Veggie Boys, who gave us free fruit. The group cycled the trail and then we got together each night for an evening meal.
Plans are already underway for 2015 when we intend to run the BNI Larnach Hospice Fund Raiser Night Rider Challenge. The idea would be to ride the entire distance between Middlemarch and Clyde in one night, starting at around 5 pm and finishing with a breakfast. Then we’d have a sleep during part of the day with a celebratory meal to finish. Individual riders would get their own sponsorship and hopes are high that we could raise even more for hospice than we did this year.
We’d like to open this challenge up to BNI members around the country. Later in the year as plans develop we expect to have more details we can send out to you, so Waitangi weekend 2015 you can have fun, fundraise and build friendships.
Steve Lawton, BNI Larnach Event Organiser
