News Releases
NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION IN HONOUR OF SIR ED
June 3 2008
All welcome to enter
Professional and amateur photographers have been given a time extension till the end of June to submit entries in the Summits for Ed photographic competition.
The tribute tour to Sir Edmund Hillary, organised by the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre of New Zealand was stopped in mid-April after the Mangatepopo River tragedy at Tongariro. It was restarted again at Warkworth on May 27 and included climbs in Whangarei, Kaikohe and Cape Reinga.
Organisers for the Summits for Ed tribute tour have put up a prize pool of $5,000 for the best photographs from any climb event around the country.
The Summits for Ed programme started at Bluff on Tuesday (March 25th) and included more than 30 summits and hills, in towns and cities throughout New Zealand. It was scheduled to conclude at Cape Reinga on April 19, however after the Tragedy, it started again on May 27 and finish on May 29 at 11.30am at Cape Reinga, 55 years ago to the minute when Hillary and Tenzing made the summit of Mount Everest.
"The photographic competition is expected to be intense with media photographers competing alongside professional non-media and amateurs", competition organiser Iain Morrison said.
It will be judged by top photographers John Sefton of the NZ Herald and Mark Round of the Dominion Post, and Ross Setford of NZPA.
The categories are:
- The overall winner ($3,000)
- Runner-up ($1,000)
- Third place ($500)
- Best junior ($500) open to school pupils 18 years and under.
The best images will be published on this website www.summitsfored.org.nz and used for other fundraising activities for the Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation.
Money raised by the foundation will create Sir Edmund Hillary scholarships for youth to attend a Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre course either at Tongariro or Great Barrier.
'SUMMITS FOR ED' TRIBUTE TOUR RESTARTING AT WARKWORTH
May 23 2008
The Summits for Ed tribute tour will resume at Warkworth on May 27 and finish on May 29 at 11.30am at Cape Reinga, 55 years ago to the minute when Hillary and Tenzing made the summit of Mount Everest.
The tribute tour being organised by the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre was stopped on April 16 following the tragic death of six Elim Christian College students and their teacher in the Mangatepopo Gorge at Tongariro.
"We asked ourselves what Sir Ed would have done and decided to put the tribute tour on hold and deal with the difficult circumstances surrounding the tragedy," OPC Hillary Centres Chairman Grant McKenzie said.
"Sir Ed would never have walked past a fallen comrade and we felt the Elim school, the families and our own staff at Tongariro needed our full attention at that time," he said. "It is now time to complete the tribute tour and also remember the seven lives that were lost on April 15."
Mr McKenzie said people are invited to participate in the short memorial and one minute's silence on each summit.
The Warkworth summit at the Dome Valley carpark will start at noon on May 27. The Parihaka summit in Whangarei will be held at 8am followed by Te Ahuahu climb in the central Bay of Islands near Kaikohe will start at 3.30pm.
The final summit will be a walk to the Cape Lighthouse at 11.00am on May 29 on the anniversary of the first Everest conquest. Climbs in Russell and Kerikeri have been abandoned with intending participants redirected to Te Ahuahu Mountain beside SH1 between Ohaeawai and Okaihau.
Instead of flowers people are contributing stones or pebbles from their favourite place such as a stream, beach or a garden. These are being gathered up by members of Lions Clubs who are assisting the tour, and along with stones from students and schools they will form part of the memorial cairn for Sir Ed at the OPC Hillary Centre at Tongariro near Mt Ruapehu.
Families, businesses or organisations wanting their names permanently recorded can make a $150 donation for an engraved rock. Rocks donated by schools will be placed at the memorial at no charge.
Money raised will go to the Hillary Foundation to fund at risk teenagers or enable financially disadvantaged young people to attend an OPC Hillary Centre course.
Sixteen-year-old Ed Hillary had a life changing experience while on a school visit to Mt Ruapehu that began his love of the outdoors and mountain climbing and led to his extraordinary life of exploration and community service.
Between 8000 and 10,000 people will have climbed 39 local summits from Bluff to the Cape when the tribute tour is completed on May 29.
For further information contact Grant McKenzie, chair of the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre Tel 021 702 021 or Darren Ashmore Tel 0275 301 226. Released by Iain Morrison of Morrison McDougall Tel 021 688 668.
SUMMITS FOR ED TOUR STOPPED IN RESPECT
April 16 2008
The Summits for Ed tribute tour being run by the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre was stopped this morning at Warkworth.
This decision was made out of respect for the families, friends and fellow students of the Elim Christian College pupils and teacher who died in the tragedy at Tongariro yesterday.
Chairman of the OPC Hillary Centre Trust Mr Grant McKenzie said he had spoken to Lady Hillary overnight and it was agreed that just as Sir Ed would not have walked passed a fallen comrade on a mountain, it would be inappropriate to continue the summit climbs.
"Our first thoughts are with the grieving families and the school community and we are offering our support and sympathy," Mr McKenzie said.
The Summits for Ed climb team would still attend the meeting points for the remaining tribute ceremonies in Whangarei, Kaikohe, Russell, Kerikeri and Cape Reinga at the designated times, but no climb would take place.
Instead there would be a short ceremony at the assembly points and a minute's silence. Any rocks or stones brought along to form part of Sir Ed's cairn at Tongariro would be collected by the team.
About 100 members of the public turned up at Warkworth this morning and were understanding of the situation and the decision to stop the climb, Mr McKenzie said.
A decision would be made later whether the six remaining summits would be climbed at a future time, he said.
So far about 8000 people have participated in Sir Ed's tribute tour, climbing 33 of a scheduled 39 local summits from Bluff to North Auckland.
Lady Hillary and her grandson Sam Mulgrew were to have attended the Cape Reinga walk to the lighthouse at noon on Saturday.
For further information contact Grant McKenzie Tel 021 702 021. Released by Iain Morrison Tel 04 473 7980 or 021 688 668.
OPC HILLARY CHAIRMAN EXTENDS CONDOLENCES
April 16 2008
The Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre chairman Grant McKenzie and three fellow trustees joined mourners at Elim Christian College this afternoon, where they expressed their condolences to college principal Murray Burton.
"This is an absolute tragedy and our heartfelt sympathy and support goes out to each of the families, fellow school pupils and the wider community.
"I got in touch with Mr Burton last night and have remained in constant contact since," Mr McKenzie, who lives in nearby Pakuranga, said.
"All OPC Hillary staff and trustees are absolutely devastated by what has happened and I passed on their thoughts and expressions of sympathy to him."
Mr McKenzie said the OPC Hillary Centres trust was conducting its own internal investigation and would provide police with all information that will assist them with their enquiries.
The OPC Hillary Centre has closed its operations for the remainder of the week.
For further information contact Grant McKenzie Tel 021 702 021. Released by Iain Morrison Tel 021 688 668
SUMMITS FOR ED TOUR STOPPED IN RESPECT
April 16 2008
The Summits for Ed tribute tour being run by the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre was stopped this morning at Warkworth.
This decision was made out of respect for the families, friends and fellow students of the Elim Christian College pupils and teacher who died in the tragedy at Tongariro yesterday.
Chairman of the OPC Hillary Centre Trust Mr Grant McKenzie said he had spoken to Lady Hillary overnight and it was agreed that just as Sir Ed would not have walked passed a fallen comrade on a mountain, it would be inappropriate to continue the summit climbs.
"Our first thoughts are with the grieving families and the school community and we are offering our support and sympathy," Mr McKenzie said.
The Summits for Ed climb team would still attend the meeting points for the remaining tribute ceremonies in Whangarei, Kaikohe, Russell, Kerikeri and Cape Reinga at the designated times, but no climb would take place.
Instead there would be a short ceremony at the assembly points and a minute's silence. Any rocks or stones brought along to form part of Sir Ed's cairn at Tongariro would be collected by the team.
About 100 members of the public turned up at Warkworth this morning and were understanding of the situation and the decision to stop the climb, Mr McKenzie said.
A decision would be made later whether the six remaining summits would be climbed at a future time, he said.
So far about 8000 people have participated in Sir Ed's tribute tour, climbing 33 of a scheduled 39 local summits from Bluff to North Auckland.
Lady Hillary and her grandson Sam Mulgrew were to have attended the Cape Reinga walk to the lighthouse at noon on Saturday.
For further information contact Grant McKenzie Tel 021 702 021. Released by Iain Morrison Tel 04 473 7980 or 021 688 668.
Knocked the Bastard off!
Friday April 5th, 2008
Remuera Lions Club member John Hetherington and his wife Mary Ann joined the Taupo Summits for Ed up Mt Tauhara on Friday 4th April at 4:30 pm.
John is a charter member of Remuera Lions, who helped form the club along with Sir Dove Myer Robinson and other prominent Auckland business people (1963). John is still in the Club, although just recently moving to Taupo. John enjoyed the 10 years that Sir Ed was in the Remuera Lions Club and this added meaning to this climb - a special moment for him.
Estimated time to go up the summit was 75 minutes but it took John's wife (Mary Ann) 90 minutes & John 120 minutes!
Anyway we "knocked the bastard off!" is what he voiced to me - a phone call from the top for the world to hear, says Ed Hillary Centres' Trust Chairman Grant McKenzie.
It was dark when they got back down with many more behind them. Other Lions were there, including Lakeland Lions in force collecting.
Estimated numbers on the climb was 350 plus which meant it was crowded at the top, and due to the narrow track no one could go down until the last one had got up - John!
John gave a small stone for the Ed's Memorial, which they brought back from Anzac Cove on Gallipoli when they were there in 2005.
Brand New Toyota Prius
Friday March 14th, 2008
Toyota marketing manager Mark Young throws the keys to a brand new Toyota Prius to Hillary Foundation chairman Rupert Wilson. Toyota have been a very generous sponsors for the Summits for Ed programme in providing their hybrid Prius and a four wheel drive Prado for the entire Bluff to Cape Reinga tour.
GRAFFITI ARTIST'S 'CANVAS' WORK KICK STARTS CHARITY AUCTION
Graffiti artist known to his followers as Mr G, but also answering to Graham Hoete, contacted OPC chief executive Grant Davidson and offered a giant canvas of Sir Ed as a donation to kick start a charity auction.
TradeMe will launch the special auction (closes 2:10 pm, Sat 12 Apr) for people to donate items. The proceeds of the sale will go to the Hillary Foundation.
Tauranga-based Mr G said, Sir Ed's values and achievements had personally been an inspiration to his way of life, and he wanted young people to think about achieving their full potential in the way Sir Ed had done.
"Lots of kids out there use graffiti to express their artistic talent and I am out talking to them about ways to use their abilities in a positive way and get them to use canvas for their work, rather than public buildings. This is the message I take round the schools."
For more information or to bid on the special auction, please refer to the following link:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Art/Paintings/Portrait/auction-148973695.htm
MEMORIAL WILL BE A FITTING TRIBUTE TO AN INSPIRATIONAL KIWI
Studio Pacific Architecture produced the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior and the Anzac Memorial in Canberra and is advising The Hillary Foundation with the intention of the final memorial being a stunning and fitting tribute. Lady Hillary will brief the architects and their artists on the concepts she would like to see included, and later, she will approve the final designs.
GOVERNMENT, SERVICE CLUBS AND CORPORATES RESPOND
SPARC have committed to the project. The Lions Clubs of NZ, with 12,000 members nationally, Genesis Energy and Toyota NZ have signed up as supporters and sponsors.
