Words from Glenda

This month at our annual Sunrise event we celebrated our eighth anniversary. This was an opportunity to thank the many people and organisations in our community who have made donations, provided sponsorship, and volunteered their time. A special mention goes out to our Platinum sponsors John Larsen and Bayleys Gisborne, who are committed to Sunrise and helping us make a positive impact in our community.

We’re extremely excited to announce our annual funding round has taken place, with $173,803 distributed to the successful applicants late in October. Since 2014 we’ve granted almost $1 million to our community, and everyone who has donated or is currently donating to Sunrise has had a part in this granting, so thank you.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank John Clarke, who has stepped aside after nine years of service as our Sunrise chairperson. John’s expertise and dedication to growing endowment funds has been invaluable over the years. I'm excited to congratulate our new chairperson, Rob Dymock, who has already proven herself to be an effective leader.

A warm welcome to Alice Pettigrew who has joined us as a trustee. Born in Gisborne and raised in Tolaga Bay, Alice has a strong connection to our region. With a Bachelor of Commerce and experience as a board member at Sport Gisborne, she will be a terrific addition to our team.

Christmas will be here before we know it, so I’d like to remind you of our Sunrise gift certificates. They’re perfect as a stocking filler and an opportunity to support the causes in our community that the recipient cares about. We can post or email them on your behalf, or you can collect them from our office at BDO.

Have a safe and happy festive season,

Glenda Stokes

EXECUTIVE OFFICER