Keep Whangaparāoa’s Green Spaces Ambrose Golf Fundraiser nets $46,000
Keep Whangaparāoa’s Green Spaces Ambrose Golf Fundraiser nets $46,000
Keep Whangaparāoa’s Green Spaces (KWGS) is thrilled with Friday 14 February’s Ambrose Golf Fundraiser which has raised $46,000 for Legal Fees and Professional Services. The Whangaparāoa Golf Club hosted the event. KWGS is committed to retaining the green space and reinstating the iconic Robert Trent Jones designed Gulf Harbour Country Club course and have been actively campaigning for this since the club was abruptly closed in 2023.
KWGS Chief Fundraiser Karen Franklin writes, “The vibe of the day was described by many as fantastic and one of the best charity golf tournaments they had been to - due to the various activities on the course which were put on by the hole sponsors’ and back in the room the feeling of our great community was evident.
The ‘Go Cold’ team won the day and had first choice of the huge prize table. Our organising team had decided they would rather see plenty of people walk away with prizes of a lesser value than a few walk away with big prizes ... a decision that was widely appreciated.
A huge number of donations contributed to an impressive raffle table plus over twenty silent auctions and eight live auctions - most which were unique experiences. Four of them involved golf excursions in Central Otago at stunning locations. The pinnacle auction prize was a day's golfing along with a sumptuous lunch and drinks at Barley Station, the private golf course of Russell and Jenny Coutts in the Crown Range. It sold on the night but a request from someone in the room for a group for another day resulted in Russell and Jenny very generously offering a second day's golfing and this boosted our final total significantly. A tremendous outcome for the both our lucky bidders and KWGS”.
A small team of KWGS volunteers has been leading the fight to reopen the club. Their efforts have recently expanded to supporting a community trust that is mowing the greens and fairways and co-ordinating teams of local residents who are keeping the bunkers tidy and the weeding an increasing number of pest plants. The trust have taken action because the owner has left the course unmaintained for over eighteen months. Local businesses and the public are supporting this initiative.
You can find out more about KWGS at the following links:
KWGS Website: www.kwgnz.org
KWGS YouTube: www.youtube.com/@KeepGreenSpaces
KWGS Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/190068190752030
KWGS Email: comms@kwgnz.org
