Kids catch spirit of giving

MERRY CHRISTMAS: SKIDS after-school care at Mangere Bridge School has jumped on board with the Manukau Courier and Salvation Army Christmas Appeal. From left: Zane Stone, 8, SKIDS operator George Bautista, Salvation Army service manager Ross Richards and Siline Lale, 5.

One Manukau after-school care centre isn't just looking after kids - it's teaching them how to give.

Safe Kids in Daily Supervision - SKIDS - at Mangere Bridge School have got on board with the Manukau Courier and Salvation Army Christmas Appeal and already have a few new toys in their collection baskets.

The annual appeal, which opened last week, seeks donations of new or near-new toys to be distributed to deserving families and other community agencies that work closely with the Salvation Army.

SKIDS runs before-school, after-school and holiday programmes for children aged 5 to 11 in three Manukau primary schools - Waterlea Primary School in Mangere Bridge, Bairds Mainfreight Primary School in Otara and Mangere Bridge School.

South area manager Jenny Parsons says it's the second year SKIDS has offered its sites as drop-off areas before Christmas and the Salvation Army seemed like a natural alignment.

"We thought this is one of the best charities to help out with because we're a family and community orientated organisation and children and families are our main priority," she says.

Children get involved with all aspects of the appeal including collecting toys, encouraging family to donate and designing posters to promote it.

"The children love getting on board to help," she says.

Her aim is to get every one of the children's families to donate if they can.

"It will ignite the passion in the children of giving to someone else and that's fantastic."

Mangere Bridge School SKIDS operator George Bautista says it's all about kids helping other kids.

"In times like these we need to pull together, especially during Christmas."

Salvation Army service manager Ross Richards is ecstatic SKIDS has got on board with the appeal.

"We'd love to see more groups participate," he says.

"It's good to have groups like this that are working in the community being part of a bigger project. And we often find that it's good for the groups as well - it's the community uniting.

"I'm all for teaching kids how to be generous to others, I think that's really great.

Mr Richards would like to see more schools collect along with more organisations such as SKIDS.

For information about dropping toys off at SKIDS sites contact Jenny on 630-6691.

Groups interested in helping with the appeal can contact Ross on 261-1064.

Salvation Army appeal collection points 

Collection points for the appeal are Manukau city libraries in Clendon, Papatoetoe, Manurewa, Otara, Tupu-Dawson Rd, Manukau city centre, Mangere Bridge and Mangere East.

The Otahuhu library and the Sir Edmund Hillary library in Papakura are also collection points as are the Salvation Army office in Bakerfield Place, Manukau, the Manukau Courier reception at 33 Birmingham Rd, East Tamaki, and mayor Len Brown's office in the Manukau City Council building on Wiri Station Rd, Manukau.

Cash donations can also be given or posted to the Manukau Courier, PO Box 76-400, Manukau.

Cheques should be made payable to the Salvation Army.