The Cromwell Community Squash Club has just concluded its annual Masters Squash Tournament. This tournament was not so much about squash this year, but the women’s club Captain, Stacey Hansen. Forty four players came from around the South Island to compete in both women’s and men’s, and played several matches each on Friday and Saturday. However, the main focus was to fundraise for Stacey. Stacey was diagnosed with Leukemia earlier this year and has been in hospital undergoing Chemotherapy for much of this year. She now needs a bone marrow transplant. A donor is available, and Stacey has to improve her health to ensure she is strong enough for the transplant.
Stacey was the life blood of the Cromwell Community Squash Club, always ready to help newcomers, and a valued leader of the women’s squash, taking a team to the national super champs at the end of last year. The club decided to raise some money for Stacey and her family to help with the considerable expenses they are facing in this battle against leukaemia. All sponsorship money was to be donated, and many fundraising activities were initiated. There was home baking for sale during the tournament, prizes donated for several raffles held during the squash weekend. But the biggest event was the auction held at the end of the tournament. The great prizes donated for the auction were a Nevis day experience, Ferrari fast dash at Highlands, pheasant shoot on Cairnmuir Station with a two night stay at Harvest Hotel, two night stay at Brooklands in Lawrence, Stellar squash equipment, 10 hours of digger hire, Cromwell tour in a Classic 800hp Chev Impala and a selection of Wine from River-T Wines and Kinross.
This could not have been done without the huge support of our amazing sponsors, Ben Nevis Station, Harvest Hotel, Cromwell Pharmacy, Highlands Motorsport Park, Buchanan Hire, Central Mini-Dig, Wilson family, Dig-it Earthmoving, Stellar Sports, River-T Wines, Kinross Wines, Devold Wanaka, Sequoia, GForce Paragliding, Balcrom, Scott Ede Design, Carrfields, Cromwell Night’n’Day, On Point, ITM, N.R.G, Hair Apart, body Business, Mt Difficulty Wines, Quartz Reef and Super Liquor.
The auction was compered by Glen Christiansen and the auctioneer on the night was Gareth Coutts, an experienced auctioneer who kept everyone on their toes. A huge turnout of members saw around 100 people attend the auction. There was much hilarity as well as serious bidding and $12,890 was raised at the auction. Together with the other fundraising efforts over $18,000 has been raised for Stacey and her family.
The Squash Club would like to thank everyone who gave the fantastic donations, and for all those who gave their time to help with the fundraising.
