Te Awamutu Primary School students responded to the news that their town’s “repair shop” had been the target of a burglary, and have raised more than $1000 in support of Menz Shed.
“We saw they had been broken into, and they’ve done fantastic work for us in the past, so we thought this was a great chance to give back to them and teach our kids about supporting community, being good people, and doing the right thing,” said Te Awamutu Primary School principal Sharon Griffiths.
Menz Shed members Ken Glew, Eric Saunders, Te Awamutu Primary School principal Sharon Griffiths, and Menz Shed chairperson Steve Mannington.
On Friday the school held a mufti day to help raise funds to replace tools stolen from Menz Shed the week before.
Griffiths said the $1027.30 collected was the most the school had raised from a mufti day.
“I think the parents saw it as a very valuable cause, so they really dug deep, and we raised a lot more than what we normally would.”
On Monday Menz Shed members Steve Mannington, Ken Glew, and Eric Saunders were gifted the donation during a school assembly.
“When Sharon rang me on Saturday it actually brought a tear to my eye, I was just blown away and so surprised,” said Mannington.
“We are just absolutely humbled to accept it.”
Menz Shed returned the favour and gave the school a handmade wooden pen holder made by 75-year-old Menz Shed member, John Lapthorn.
“It is just something that I think Sharon could share around the classrooms,” said Mannington.
After the assembly Mannington told Griffiths of the weekend burglary. He said it was saddening that the school’s donation would most likely be put towards a security system.
