This article was originally published on 18th October and was uploaded online on 25th October.
The Foundation recently held its annual Drop Your Boss event, where leaders from across Aotearoa took on the challenge of taking the brave leap off the Auckland Sky Tower to support tamariki and rangatahi across Aotearoa. We’re thrilled that Mitre 10 participated this year, with their team raising over $6,000! They’ve shared their inspiring journey in the article below:
We’re proud to have taken part in the annual Drop Your Boss event for 2024. This fundraiser sees bosses from across Aotearoa bungy jump off the Auckland Sky Tower. At 192 metres, or 53 floors, it’s no small feat, but there couldn’t be a better cause. Drop Your Boss raises funds for the Graeme Dingle Foundation, an organisation we’re honoured to sponsor nationally, who work in communities across the motu supporting tamariki and rangatahi to be the best version of themselves.
This year, our volunteers all came from the Customer team. Legends Matt Cardey, National Key Account Manager, Tony Scott, Trade Business Development Specialist, and Nathan Buckley, National Trade Business Development Manager, all lined up to take the plunge. Together, Matt, Tony and Nathan managed to raise over $6000, a massive win for everyone involved.
While Matt was happy to accept his nomination and is no stranger to adrenaline filled adventure, he was a little bit worried about his fundraising. With no social media to speak of, he knew it would be hard to get the word out. After a slow start, he reached out to his international network through text and phone calls, and managed to clear the $3000 mark in a little over a week, ranking third best fundraiser for the whole 2024 event. As a kid’s rugby coach, Matt’s firmly aligned with the Graeme Dingle Foundation’s work of helping young people realise potential, and was pleased to contribute.
Tony’s journey to the top of the Sky Tower was a little bit more challenging than most. He was eager to support the Graeme Dingle Foundation after being inspired by his niece, a Graeme Dingle Foundation alumni who shared her story and the positive impact the programme had on her and her peers. The only issue? The weight limit for the bungy is 122kg, and at the time of nomination, Tony was clocking in at 139kg. Faced with the choice of backing out of the jump or doing his best to drop the weight, Tony decided he wasn’t taking the easy way out.
In addition to giving up carbs, sugar and more than a few social occasions, Tony put in two hours of cardio a day and never wavered from his goal. On jump day, he weighed in at 124kg. Undeterred, he booked another jump for two weeks later, stayed the course with his new diet and workout regimen, and on Thursday, 3 October 2024, Tony arrived for his jump weighing a mere 118kg. Getting out of your comfort zone is one thing, but dropping 21kg in six weeks to support a great cause shows a truly heroic level of commitment.
When Tony booked his second jump, he nominated Nathan to join him. Keen to for a bit of an adventure and to help support an awesome charity, Nathan was right behind Tony on 3 October. Nathan managed to push the Mitre 10 fundraising total over the $6000 mark, even though he was a last minute addition with very little time to spread the word.
The Graeme Dingle Foundation raised over $40,000 in this year’s Drop Your Boss Event. Research from an Infometrics Report shows that every dollar put into the Foundation delivers a $10.50 boost to the New Zealand economy by cutting crime-related costs, helping young people land better-paying jobs, and reducing their need for government support. The Foundation reaches over 27,000 young people each week through their work.
Graeme Dingle Foundation CEO, Jo Malcolm-Black, praised the Mitre 10 team saying: “We are incredibly inspired by the dedication and bravery shown by Matt, Tony, and Nathan. Their efforts not only raised significant funds but also highlighted the spirit of community and commitment that drives our mission. Every jump, every dollar, and every story like theirs helps us support more tamariki and rangatahi across Aotearoa to realise their potential. Thank you to everyone involved for making this year’s Drop Your Boss event a resounding success.”
We’re incredibly grateful to Matt, Tony and Nathan for stepping up to take on this huge challenge, and for their massive efforts raising funds for the foundation. We’d also like to extend a thank you to everyone who pitched in with a donation, with an extra special thanks to PGC Constructors and Chancellor Construction for their incredible generosity.