Cash giveaway spurs more charity

COLIN SMITH/Nelson Mail

OF A KIND: Jeff Neilson has his bucket ready to receive $5 from Grant McNeill, who dressed up as a money machine in Trafalgar St yesterday. Mr McNeil dispensed 20 lots of $5 in random acts of kindness.

Take a large cardboard box with Free Money and Push Here on it, put it in Nelson's Trafalgar St, and see how passersby react.

At first they were hesitant, and avoided the big box.

College student Samme Prangley was a bit scared to push the button. "I thought something horrible would come out," she said.

The 17-year-old was surprised and happy when $5 popped out. "I think I might have to donate to somewhere to pay it forward."

She opted to add it her school's Daffodil Day appeal fund.

Jeff Neilson was walking back from his bank after taking change from his Value Vending business when he was confronted by the big box. He put his bucket under the box's slot and out came another $5. "It's wicked," Mr Neilson said. He decided to donate the money to the Nelson Hospice.

In total 20 lots of $5 came out of the box, all random acts of kindness from the Nelson man inside, Grant McNeill.

It was the third of 30 random acts of kindness in 30 days Mr McNeil is doing, which follows his project last year to face 30 fears in 30 days.

"It's just about doing things for other people to encourage other people to do kind things," he said.

He has set up a website where people can add their random acts of kindness and go in the daily draw for a $20 Little India voucher. (visit 30days.co.nz.)

Yesterday, after giving away the $100 provided by a sponsor, he was feeling great that it had put smiles on faces.

"Mission accomplished," he said.