This year we had 300 eager campers attend summer camps, along with more than 300 companions, in five locations across the country. Held between 5^th and 20^th January, these were fun-filled weeks with plenty of entertainment, activities and delicious food for our fabulous campers.

Highlights included a visit by Eliza McCartney to the Auckland/Northland camp, participation in the Waikato/BOP camp colour run, jet boating and dirt buggy rides in Wellington, helicopter rides in Christchurch, and rides at Highland Motorsport Park in the South.

I would like to acknowledge the dedication of our regional managers – Dharmesh Nanu (Auckland/Northland), Mat Synge (Waikato/Bay of Plenty), Matt Perkins (Wellington/Central Districts), Damian Young (Christchurch), and Kevin Seales (South) – as well as their regional committees, companions, nurses and many other volunteers and helpers. I cannot thank you enough for all your outstanding efforts this summer.

We love recording all the excitement that goes on at the camps. But it wouldn’t be possible without the amazing photographers and videographers who capture the memories of these special weeks and allow us to relive them throughout the year. A heartfelt thank you to all of you.

So much goes on behind the scenes to make Camp Quality camps a success, and we are so grateful for the support we receive from Lions Clubs of New Zealand, Freemasons NZ, various charitable trusts, the market gardens and orchards who provide fruit and vegetables, couriers who freight our goods, bus companies who help transport our camp attendees, and many more companies and individuals. One and all – thank you.

Deputy Chair Paula Daye and Website Advisor Megan Barnes have let me know that the process of building online camper registration is nearly complete, with training for all camper registrars to be arranged in time for the 2020 camps. Special thanks to Paula & Megan for their mammoth effort to finally get this completed.

We couldn’t provide camps without financial support. This year we will hold the second “Camp 4 Camp Quality” national capaign in May. We would love for you to get involved, so stay tuned to our website and Facebook page. Jo Sherwood from Tauranga is our Campaign Manager so look out for any updates from her.