By Annabelle Tukia
A trust set up to help the families of soldiers killed or wounded while serving has received its biggest donation to date - $12,000 from Mitre 10 MEGA.
The donation came after a mighty effort from a 140 Burnham-based soldiers who helped pack up all the stock at Mitre 10 MEGA’s Hornby store, and move it to a new shop across the road.
Hornby Mitre 10 MEGA owner Murray Smith says he was happy to donate to the cause.
“We know they've been going through tough times and this makes it all the more special for us.”
The trust was set up after the deaths of five Burnham soldiers in Afghanistan in August.
Jacob Culliford was a good friend of one those who died - Lance Corporal Rory Malone.
“There are quite a few guys who had associations at least with a lot of the fallen members, so they're all here to help out the families of those people,” he says.
Funds from the trust will be made available to every family who has had loved ones injured or killed in active duty, trustee Baden Ewart says.
“For the families themselves, often at times it’s the little bits that make such a difference between getting by and living a better life. Our task is to work with the potential beneficiaries to enable them to do stuff that we all just take for granted.”
Mr Ewart says finding 140 soldiers willing to lend a hand to the cause wasn't difficult.
“Their mates have done their duty for New Zealand, and these guys are doing their duty by their mates.”
And it is all for a cause that can't get much closer to the hearts of service men and women.
3 News