Jump Start is looming !  Now only a month out from the 2008 event. On the 16th February 2008, 50 couragous teenagers selected through Project K & Canteen, will get to feel the experience of being alive !   Please help us to make this event a success for the kids….

Here’s a few quotes from last years participants -

‘Thank you so much. Tom had the time of his life. You only dream of something like that. He couldn’t stop talking about the jump. Thank you for making a wish come true for him’ (Thomas)

————

It was wow! First I met my tandem master, you should have seen…..it was gigantic…..it was a Hercules!…..BIG!! First we had to suit up in these overalls – that was all checked when we put the harness on….did a bit of modeling then had to walk onto the plane – BIG!! Then it was my turn to jump – my tandem master yelled “Just step out!!” “Hell NO!” “Then lift up your feet”. Next minute we were upside down, in the sky, then the right way round. It was well…yeah… I can’t describe it. He had to move my hands and show me the camera-man “ME!!” It was cool…you should try it. It felt like my face was trying to leave my head, then the parachute went up and we left the cameraman behind then it was a fast trip to the ground and then he said “Lift your legs” and THUMP sliding on my bum –back to earth. Yep you need to try it.
Rowena Richmond

————

Thanks to a lot of different people. I sky dived on the 2nd of March and felt totally overwhelmed with excitement.
Twice I felt the panic butterfly’s first as I stepped toward the large opening of this huge Hercules plane (An appropriate name) looking out to nothing but sky and then as we were free falling looking for my camera man (why I panicked then I don’t know) but thanks to the calming talk and the fussy care my team looked after me – tandem master Gary Cullen, camera man Vic Dempsey and my sponsor Tim Sheehan I really had a fantastic time.

That feeling of living the moment is absolutely true I will never forget and truly hope to do many times again.

The day was long but I had a brilliant time, watching and waiting enviously for my turn, sharing experiences with the first jumpers, observing the great camaraderie between all parachutists Federation, Air force and us novices plus all the drinks and food organised by CanTeen and of course what a neat way to wind down the day with the Spit cooked dinner very classy indeed.

A huge thank you to organisers.

I would like to thank the New Zealand Parachute Federation and The Royal New Zealand Air Force and of course CanTeen for giving up their time, the organising and bringing together this fantastic life changing experience. As my team said to me “now I can do anything”.
Thank you all
Muriwai Barlow Kameta
CanTeen Tauranga

————

The morning of skydiving, I arrived feeling rather nervous and unwell, Id never even been on a plane before, let alone jump out the back of one!
As the day went by it was getting closer to my time, and finally, the dreaded moment arrived.. we were surrounded by so many positive and reassuring people, who were all very lovely and helped settle my nerves.
By the time it came to my turn, I could barely even walk, my legs were like jelly, but I thought to myself, its now or never.
We then got pushed out of the plane and before I knew it I was heading face down to the ground. Freefalling… there are no words to describe how that felt, its just like at the time, nothing else matters. When the parachute opened, we slowed down and we were just floating around, looking at the amazing scenery, I felt so free of everything, at this point, everything that had gone wrong in life didn’t matter, because if you step outside the square (jump out of a plane) you really see the beautiful things surrounding you in life, that you may never have even noticed before. It was absolutely beautiful. I cannot thank everyone enough, Canteen, my Sponsors, the guy who held it – just anyone who even smiled at me that day, it was amazing, something I will never forget in my life time, and possibly even something, that has opened my eyes up, to a new improved life. So thank you everyone for giving me the opportunity, thank you thank you thank you!!

————

Well what can we say, Hannah just loved the experience and is still buzzing. She too thinks she will do it again! Just blew me away to think she did it and to think that she still wants to do it again! I can’t tell you enough how amazing we think they are for organising such an event. Pete Maher is a wonderful man for initiating this. Everyone involved needs a big pat on the back and a huge THANK YOU. There are so many people to thank, the people who sponsered the children, the skydivers who volunteered their time to video the event, the Royal New Zealand Air Force for their great contribution in the plane and their wonderful people on the ground. Not only was everone there wonderful for the set up of such an event but the time they all took and the interest they all took in the children involved is commendable. It is so heartening to see people care so much and to take the time out to talk to the children and share their stories and experiences. It really added to the event, probably more than they realised. Hannah in particular, was starting to look concerned and stressed out, the amount of people who went out of their way to comfort and reassure her was remarkable and something she won’t forget. For a girl who hates heights, who is terrified about flying, to be able to take part in such an opportunity and face her greatest fears with strangers who made her feel safe, is just un-explainable just what she gained out of it. Please pass on our heartfelt thanks, this is something that will stay with Hannah for life and for us, (her parents), also.

Thanking you all

Margaret, Nigel, Gill and Hannah

Click here to make a dontation to Jump Start.