Starship fundraisers Kate Pridham, George Pridham and Indi Kardas with raffle recipient Blayne Macdonald (centre).
Kate Pridham, a young girl who has spent the year fundraising for Starship Hospital with the help of her mum Rachel, brother George and best friend Indi Kardas, drew the winner of a long-awaited fundraising raffle last week in front of a crowd of students at Goodwood School.
The winner was Renee Macdonald, with her son Blayne Macdonald, who happened to be a Goodwood student, stepping up on stage to collect the prize.
Kate decided to start fundraising for Starship earlier this year after her friend from Matamata was a patient at Starship. “I’d feel really happy if someone was doing it for me,” Kate said in April after holding a movie fundraiser at Tivoli Cinema.
Kate draws the winning raffle ticket.
Since then her friend Indi has jumped on board helping out with fundraising and bake sales, along with her brother George. The girls said they’d learned a few things through the experience, including how to help people, about cancer, and what Starship does. Kate said the best part about the whole thing was “just being able to help Starship”, as well as meeting new people.
The raffle drawn on Friday last week was a special occasion in more ways than one, also doubling as Kate’s 10th birthday, and so the crowd made sure to wish her a very happy birthday.
Kate’s mum Rachel, the “glue” which has held their fundraising efforts together, said they were very proud of Kate, as well as George, Indi and thankful to everyone who had helped make the fundraising possible, including the many local business that donated towards the raffle.
Kate was a little surprised when the crowd wished her a happy birthday.
