Laura's Wish to Sail on an America's Cup Yacht

Southern Stars Charitable Trust has initiated an appeal for the New Zealand Down Syndrome Association.

The Trust will be working throughout July 2010 with the New Zealand Down Syndrome Association to raise awareness and much needed funding to help children and their families who live with this condition.

Laura, a 15 year old bright and bubbly girl with Down Syndrome wishes to sail on an Americas Cup Yacht. She currently attends the Pegasus Unit at Pakuranga College.

Southern Stars Charitable Trust operates a Grant-A-Wish programme and has collaborated with Sail NZ to provide this wish for Laura by sailing on Sail NZ's Americas Cup Yacht NZL 40.  Usually the domain of billionaires and elite professional yachties, Laura had an unforgettable sailing experience with the opportunity to participate as crew to take the helm, exert energy on the grinders and sit back and enjoy the ride as she sailed the beautiful Waitemata Harbour. Laura and her dad had arrived at the Viaduct harbour in style being driven in a luxury chauffeured car courtesy of Vision Chauffeur Drive.

The story of the wish was covered by the Eastern Courier under the headline Captain Harkins takes the helm.

Southern Stars Charitable Trust has been approached by the New Zealand Down Syndrome Association who supports Laura and her family to make this wish possible for her. The New Zealand Down Syndrome Association works together with Southern Stars Charitable Trust to raise funds for programmes and initiatives to support people with Down Syndrome and their families. Currently, the New Zealand Down Syndrome Association and Southern Stars Charitable Trust raise funds to send children with Down Syndrome on a camp to help these kids deal with their condition and teach skills to lead a more independent life.

The NZ Down Syndrome Association provides support and information to families who have a child with Down syndrome child; one of the aims of the appeal is to raise funding to allow the NZDSA to produce and distribute its education resource. This will contain a video and supportive information.