JOIN THE RHYTHM OF GIVING

This year marks the 5th anniversary of the Whakaari eruption, an event that changed our community forever.

Every year, we mark the 9th of December with the Whakaari Hayden Marshall-Inman Memorial Golf Tournament. The golf tournament is not just a golf event; it's a testament to the resilience of our community and a tribute to the lives impacted by the tragic events of Whakaari.

Over the last 4 years, the proceeds raised have been donated to:

2023 Whakatāne Coastguard - $52,000

2022 Whakatane Volunteer Fire Brigade - $41,000

Over 100 years of helping and protecting the people of the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Whakatane Volunteer Fire fighting personnel were amongst the Whakaari/White Island first responders on the day of the eruption. This led to more than 30 people being admitted to burns unit and hospitals across the country including Whakatane Hospital, who faced one of New Zealand's largest natural disasters.

2021 Middlemore Foundation - $40,000

There are 4 regional burns units in New Zealand: Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, Hutt Hospital, Lower Hutt, Wellington, and Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch. All of these hospitals took patients in after the eruption. Changing Faces is a Catalyst for Change, enabling people with disfigurements to develop high self-esteem and self-confidence, have access to the very best health and social services and enjoy equal rights and opportunities throughout their lives.

After speaking with Both Kelsey and Jake, two local survivors of the Whakaari Eruption, how they felt support was needed moving forward to make a difference in not only their lives but for others with significant burns, more training would be a good idea.

Jake, “wants someone to be trained to use the scar laser in Middlemore since no one currently knows how to use it and he has significant scarring which is only being dealt with through surgeries and massage”.

Kelsey, suggested “more training for younger burns unit staff, too - after my legs were grafted and my back, butt and thighs were harvested for the second time, I was in absolute agony (something I think only other burns survivors understand). I ended up having all of the older nurses looking after me because they had experience working with larger, complex burns from back in the day when Hutt was the NBU. So in short, we think more training would be amazing and beneficial to so many more people.”

2020 St John - $32,000

Personnel were amongst the Whakaari/White Island first responders on the day of the eruption which led to more than 30 people being admitted to burns units and hospitals across the country. Since the eruption it has been reported in the news that St John has had to cut up to 100 jobs nationwide as the organisation struggles to claw its way out of a $30 million financial hole caused by Covid-19.

St John Whakatane has since purchased a MIST Vehicle with the proceeds raised.

Whakaari Waiata Remembrance Concert

This year, we are pleased to announce the Whakaari Waiata Remembrance Concert at Ohope Beach Golf Links on Saturday, December 7, 2024.

To celebrate, we’re giving away 2 tickets to this special event!

Join us for an evening of music featuring @joel_shadbolt_music from LAB, the Kora Whānau, @maiseyrika_music , @no_code_nz , and more.

How to Enter the Giveaway:
1️⃣ Like the insta post
2️⃣ Tag a friend you’d love to bring along
3️⃣ Make sure you’re following @whakaari_waiata

We encourage you to book accommodation for the weekend and bring your families along to join us.

With the blessing of the Inman whānau, we wish to donate the entire proceeds of the 2024 Memorial Golf Tournament and the Whakaari Waiata memorial concert to the Whakaari Memorial.

Whakaari Memorial
The memorial, initiated by the Whakatāne-Ōhope Community Board in association with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa and the Whakatāne District Council, is envisioned as a space of remembrance, healing, and reflection for generations to come, honoring all those who were impacted by the tragedy.

This project is of immense social, cultural and heritage importance to all New Zealanders, memorializing a tragic event that reverberated around the world. No people feel this more keenly than the families of those directly impacted, and the local community that rallied that day and the time that followed.

A memorial links the past to the present - it would acknowledge the impact of the event, facilitate the healing process, and give a place to pay respect to those that passed.