2nd March 2007

I would appreciate it if you would convey my thanks to all those who worked so hard to make the day a success. My biggest thanks to the individual Sponsors and of course the Tandem Masters and Camera operators. Without them the day would not have been possible.

Jump Start 2007 – 2nd March – Matamata Airfield, New Zealand:

It was a fantastic day and a great opportunity for some very special young people to experience the unique thrill of skydiving.

I would particularly like to thank Peter Maher for his tremendous enthusiasm and commitment to making Jump Start happen, not to mention his activities on the day that made it such a success.

I am a Project K mentor and was there with my Northcote College student who had the opportunity to jump from the Hercules. He put aside his fear and trepidation (which was clearly evident the closer it got to take off time) to do something that was completely foreign to him, and against his natural instincts. This took courage, commitment, and confidence. Not just confidence in himself but putting his trust and confidence in others to the extent that his safety depended on it. To many young people today, and for many different reasons, having trust and confidence in others is sadly missing. The day demonstrated that people cared about giving him an opportunity to do something that he probably would not even consider in the context of his day to day life. That people cared (and in this case the people of the NZ Parachute Federation) enough to provide opportunities to young people with their own challenges was a wonderful thing to see and experience.

Thank you once again for giving this young man an opportunity to jump from a Hercules at 12,0000 feet.

Kind regards,

Mike Hill
Project K Mentor