Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge Volunteer Series

Written By Kim Manunui

Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge is a locally owned, not-for-profit Rotary event, with surpluses distributed back into the community via grants to community groups and organisations.

It also pays out tens of thousands of dollars in donations each year to local groups that help bring the event to life, in addition to $300,000 spent annually on local contractors and other suppliers.

The massive contribution made by more than 400 Contact Energy (Contact) volunteers each year, representing more than 30 different community organisations, sees each remunerated for their service as part of the event’s operational budget.

For some groups the Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge is their most significant fundraising of the year. 

While Contact has supported the event in various ways over the years, 2024 marked the first time the company directly sponsored the volunteers, including schools, charities, and sports clubs, resulting in more than $77,000 returned to the Taupō, Tūrangi, Marotiri and wider communities in the region.

A Contact spokesperson says the Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge is a fantastic example of how sport, wellbeing, and community impact can come together, “and we’re thrilled to be part of it.”

Since 2011, 12 events have been held, with $1,044,219 fed back into communities across the Taupō District.  

We take a look at some of the community groups that benefit in a five-part series.

 
Kim Manunui

Hi, I’m Kim and I work with a great team to help individuals, as well as small and not so small businesses get their message, product and services to the world using digital media and creating wonderful websites that don’t cost the earth.

I was born in Canada, and grew up around Vancouver and the mountains of British Columbia. My love of pristine environments led me to New Zealand and eventually to the mountains, lakes and rivers of the central North Island which is home. My family’s heritage is here, and it’s from here that Korio traverses the planet.

The digital world is never static and neither are we.

And I say ‘we’ because I work with an awesome group of talented people who I gather together as required to complete a project.  Whatever your business, not-for-profit or individual needs are we gather the best team to get the job done.

Collaboratively we are creative, share sustainable values and work hard for great outcomes because that’s the buzz of satisfaction that drives us.

If you have an audience and market to reach, we can make that happen. Creative design, words that work and smart behind the scenes stuff that cuts through the online noise. We’ll design your website and then build it. We’ll manage the content as well as all your hosting needs. We can handle your online advertising so you get noticed,
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https://www.korio.co.nz
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Enter with your group and you could win a $400 Tineli merchandise voucher