Kids in Need Waikato founders Graham and Linda Roil, pictured with young Blossom
The delivery of an AED to Kids in Need Waikato will provide a reassuring cushion of safety, says the group’s founder Linda Roil.
Kids in Need Waikato founder Linda Roil, going through the AED instructions with Rotary’s Bill Robinson, left, and Laurie Graham. Photo: Viv Posselt
The AED (artificial external defibrillator) was donated by the Cambridge Rotary Club. It was delivered earlier this month by club president Laurie Graham and Rotary Foundation chair for Cambridge Rotary, Bill Robinson.
Kids in Need Waikato was the charity supported by Robinson and his wife during his 2023-24 year as Rotary District 9930 Governor.
Roil said having an AED on the property gave her some reassurance as many of the grandparents and carers of children linked with the Cambridge-based charity are in their senior years, as are some volunteers.
Delighted with the defib, Kids in Need Waikato’s Linda Roil with Rotarians Bill Robinson, left, and Laurie Graham. Photo: Viv Posselt
“It will give us an additional layer of safety here, which is reassuring, particularly as we are slightly out of town. The AED will be here to help anyone who needs it … we are extremely grateful to Rotary,” she said.
Bill Robinson said Kids in Need had applied to Rotary for the AED; its cost of around $3000 had been met through the Rotary Foundation, the charitable arm of Rotary International. It is one of two the club intends placing in the community – the site of the other is yet to be determined.
The delivery of the AED came soon after the charity held its second Kids in Need Colour Run at the town’s Memorial Park, an event that attracted around 1000 people
Delighted with the defib, Kids in Need Waikato’s Linda Roil with Rotarians Bill Robinson, left, and Laurie Graham. Photo: Viv Posselt
“That was fantastic this year,” Roil said. “We raised $37,000, over $10,000 more than we did last year. We are very blessed with the support we are getting.”
Funding from the event will directly support the work of Kids in Need Waikato, which provides personalised care packs, wellbeing programmes, and connection opportunities for more than 1300 children being raised in care, including their 560 caregivers across the region.
Kids in Need Waikato founders Graham and Linda Roil, pictured with young Blossom at the recent second Colour Run fundraiser in Cambridge. Photo: supplied
