New Zealanders donate remembrance rocks for Sir Ed
28 Mar 2008
In a final farewell to Sir Edmund Hillary, New Zealanders are donating engraved rocks to construct a memorial cairn.
The collection of money and engraved rocks has been organized by the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre of New Zealand (OPC). The rocks will be used to build a memorial cairn located in central New Zealand at Tongariro, close to Mt Ruapehu.
''We envisage the memorial will serve as a tribute to our national hero and also become a place where future generations can learn about Sir Ed's values and the contribution individuals can make to create a healthy, vibrant New Zealand society,'' said Grant McKenzie, chairman of OPC.
The collection process, named the Summits for Ed tribute tour, will visit more than 30 towns and cities around New Zealand. The tour began in Bluff on 25 March and will end in Cape Reinga on 19 April.
The final design of the cairn would be done in consultation with Lady Hillary, with the rocks intended to represent Sir Ed’s love of mountains.
People wanting their rocks to become part of the memorial can bring an already engraved rock with a $100 donation to their nearest town or pay an additional $50 to get a rock supplied and engraved.
Those who cannot donate an engraved rock can bring a stone with a gold coin donation for the stone to be placed on the cairn.
''All donations will go to creating scholarships to enable youth in need to attend our outdoor courses at either Tongariro or on Great Barrier Island,'' says McKenzie.
Sir Ed was OPC’s founding patron from its start 35 years ago. He provided advice and guidance on programmes that introduced thousands of teenagers to outdoor challenges in the mountains.
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