“Mahuri,” which stands for sapling, is an initiative which is helping the school to grow its resources with help from the community.
Parents, pupils, teachers and residents are able to donate or buy products which will fill a new hall, four classrooms and a discovery hub once a $3.2 million rebuild is complete by March 2020.
Principal Chris Nord said the school has been without a hall and other key learning spaces since many its buildings were damaged in the February 22, 2011, earthquake.
He said while the Ministry of Education has been “great” with funding the rebuild, it does not cover the purchase of other learning tools.
With Mahuri, people are able to donate a range of items – such as chairs, desks, bookshelves, projectors, or a $10 tree to be planted at the school.
For every contribution, a sticker is placed on the tree to track Mahuri’s progress, similar to a thermometer fundraising scheme.
This year’s Mt Pleasant Art Exhibition on Friday and Saturday will be the vehicle to get the initiative out into the community.
The exhibition, which has been the school’s main fundraiser for many years, will see all money raised going towards Mahuri.
The featured artist will be Sumner resident Jo Ogier. She is one of 50 artists who will display their works at the Mt Pleasant Community Centre, 3 McCormacks Bay Rd, over the weekend – many are from the Bay Harbour News area.
•For more information or to buy tickets to the Mt Pleasant Art Exhibition, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/351730152436362/ or for more information on Mahuri, visit https://www.mahuri.co.nz/
