Arrowtown gearing up for the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge

Lakes District Museum & Gallery in Arrowtown is lighting up orange from 13-15 June in support of the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge, the nation’s largest youth fundraising event. 

The museum joins a multitude of New Zealand’s most recognisable monuments, which will shine orange to raise awareness for the fundraising campaign, which helps to make a life-changing difference to children around the world.

In addition to lighting up to raise awareness for the campaign, ranghatahi in Arrowtown and across New Zealand are participating in the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge to take on a 40-hour sacrifice which will make a world of difference for vulnerable children in the Pacific and beyond.

This year, young people are encouraged to go “offline for 40 Hours” to unplug, disconnect, and get together with friends and whānau while completing a challenge to raise funds for Solomon Islands children who struggle to get enough to eat each day due to climate change.

Young people around the country are taking on all manner of challenges to help raise funds for children left hungry by the changing climate in Solomon Islands, including living in a dinghy for 40 hours; speaking only Shakespearian English for 40 hours; making 400 paper cranes in 40 hours; and cooking 500 meals in 40 hours.

Other key monuments lighting up across Aotearoa include Eden Park in Auckland, Christchurch Airport, Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, The Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington, The Botanical Gardens in Christchurch, the Saxton Oval Pavilion in Nelson, and Queens Park in Invercargill.

This year a number of unique landmarks are lighting up orange including the tunnel at Wellington Cable Cars, the Big Carrot in Ohakune, the Big Fruit in Cromwell, the KZ1 boat at Auckland’s Maritime Museum, and the corrugated iron Sheep and Sheepdog in Tirau.

World Vision’s Associate National Director TJ Grant says he’s blown away by the number and scope of challenges young people are taking on for the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge.

“It’s inspiring to see so many young people put themselves to the test to support their peers in Solomon Islands who don’t get enough to eat each day due to the changing climate.

“I’m always so encouraged by the passion, ingenuity, and creativity of the challenges our young people demand of themselves and this year there’s the extra challenge to be offline for 40 hours! But that 40-hour sacrifice will make the world of difference for hungry children in Solomon Islands,” he says.

Grant says he’s grateful to the Lakes District Museum & Gallery in Arrowtown for lighting up in support of the campaign.

"It’s incredibly heartening to see Arrowtown get behind the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge, with the Museum joining more than 60 other venues around the country to light up orange this weekend,” he says.

Funds raised this year will give Solomon Island families tools and seeds to farm climate-smart crops, plant mangroves to help restore fish populations and protect their land from rising sea levels and provide sustainable food sources for future generations to ensure children can grow up healthy and strong in a changing climate.

Sign up to take part in this year’s World Vision 40 Hour Challenge, or donate, at 40hour.org.nz