- Sunday 5 September 2010
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Race on for $1m all-weather track
The finish line is far from fading for the group battling to make Masterton's planned all-weather athletics track a reality.
The next big push in the Wairarapa All Weather Track Trust's race to just under $1 million towards the proposed eight-lane track and facility comes with a fundraising dinner and auction at Masterton's Copthorne Hotel and Resort on October 29.
The trust is trying to secure at least three well-known sports personalities for the night, which has a line-up of impressive auction items.
Thanks to his athletics connections across the world, trustee and Wairarapa athletics coach Mark Harris is expecting to receive a signed item by former middle-distance runner and 800m world record holder Wilson Kipketer.
''We're using the [event] to raise the profile of the campaign again and to hopefully get some good dollars in,'' Mr Harris said.
Several schools will also be raising funds, mostly through mufti days, as the trust continues to gather more funding through grant applications and other fundraising activities. So far the trust has raised $68,000 from the community, which along with secured grants of $300,000 from the Masterton District Council, $25,000 from the Carterton District Council and $50,000 from the Pelorus Trust, brings the total to $443,000.
''We're definitely still positive about the project,'' Mr Harris said.
''If we ever went negative about it, at that time we would walk away.
Mr Harris also rubbished the ''fallacy'' the project was all about himself; ''People have to get over that and realise it's about sport, our kids, and giving them the skills required so that they can participate in sport at the highest levels.''
Trustee and throwing coach John Quin agreed the track would elevate sport to a whole new level.
''We are definitely not letting up on this and we owe to it all of the great results we've been getting in athletics to make this happen,'' he said.
