Generous bequest will benefit Tairāwhiti forever

Bob and Aileen specified that every year half the investment income from their fund be equally divided between Eastland Rescue Helicopter and Waipaoa Station Farm Cadet Training Trust, two causes that meant a lot to them. They then requested that the remaining half be included in Sunrise’s annual funding round and for their son Mike, and his wife Trish, to choose which causes would receive grants.

Mike says, “Helping with granting is exciting. We quite enjoy giving away money that’s not ours, we feel like Father Christmas!”

Since the bequest, close to $70k from the Bob and Aileen Harris fund has been granted to worthy causes within Gisborne-Tairāwhiti. For the 2021/22 funding round, $29,589 was available to use, with half of that being split between Waipaoa Station Farm Cadet Training Trust and Eastland Rescue Helicopter and the remaining half distributed as grants.

Gisborne Bowling Club, Gisborne Land Search and Rescue, Sunshine Service Inc and Wainui Surf Lifesaving Club were the most recent recipients chosen by Mike and Trish, Bob and Aileen’s son and daughter-in-law.

Bob and Aileen liked that the capital used to seed their fund with Sunrise would stay intact and grow so that their hard work could benefit the community forever. Since the original bequest, 17 grants have been distributed from their named fund.