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Koru Care is a Registered
Charitable Trust that was established in 1983 as the Air New Zealand Staff Charity.
It is an organization dedicated to providing support and funding for disadvantaged, disabled and seriously ill children to
 enhance their lives.
Koru Care's Mission Statement is "Making dreams come true for disabled and terminally ill children."
The groups originally
contacted Division 30 last year when their return trip shortly after September
11 was in doubt. Ltg. Erwin Lorenz was one of the first to contact them
and offer his assistance. This
year, we were contacted shortly after the District Convention by Bryan Roper,
the President of the Northlands Kiwanis Club in Division 11, New Zealand South Pacific District.
Bryan thanked us for our help last year and wrote, "I was wondering if your
Division or a club in your Division would be interested in organizing something for the children for some part of a day to help make their trip more enjoyable."
That's when tons of e-mail began flying around the world to find out what we
could do and to enlist support from Division 30 clubs. On
Wednesday, September 11, 2002, Division 30's "committee" met with the
chaperons of the group and finalized our plans. Shown in the photo, from
left to right, Gavin Laing, from Koru Care, Ltg.-Elect Sandy Heer,
Dr. Larry
Skiba of Koru, Chris George of Koru, sneaking in is Ltg. Don
Hull, Warren Heer,
President of the La Palma Kiwanis
Club and Dewayne Nelson, Division 30 Treasurer. 
Not shown are President
Ken Ash and Joanie from the Grt. Buena Park Club and Immediate Past
Ltg. Erwin Lorenz. |
The
Koru Care groups consisted of 23 kids, from 7 to 15 years old, and their
14 adult caregivers. While here, they visited California
Adventure, Disneyland, Medieval Times, Knott's Berry Farm, and Universal
Studios. Kiwanis
and Sponsored Youth members provided additional escorts to the parks
and helped with transportation as requested. SATURDAY:
circle K accompanied the group to Knott's Berry Farm.  SUNDAY:
Kiwanis Club of Greater Buena Park helped out at Universal Studios.
MONDAY:
Lunch was
provided by Kiwanis at Knott's Berry Farm Chicken Dinner Restaurant on Monday,
September 16. 
Following
lunch, magician Joe
Monti put on a performance for the group. In addition, Brea Wal-Mart
provided
Disneyland watches to all the kids and Sears Buena Park gave "goodie bags" for the kids. 
Click
here for photos of the luncheon.
Click here for photos of Universal
Studio trip. |
