ChangeMakers (CRF) recently hosted an exhilarating karting event for youth at Daytona Adventure Park in Upper Hutt. Before the event kicked off, we sent out some friendly reminders to all the participants, urging them to arrive at least 30 minutes early. You see, we had an important safety briefing and process to go through before the real action could begin. As you might’ve guessed, not everyone made it on time, but we totally get it. Life happens! However, with karting being a fast-paced sport, especially on weekends, we had to stick to a tight schedule. Unfortunately, due to some latecomers, we had to reschedule our initial booking from 2pm to 3pm.
Now, here’s where things got a bit tricky. We couldn’t accommodate everyone due to the limited spots available, and some of the late arrivals had to find another activity because our bookings were full. But let’s take a moment to appreciate the incredible staff at Daytona Adventure Park, especially the person in charge of managing times and schedules. He went above and beyond to squeeze our group into the schedule and even arranged an alternative activity for those who missed out on karting. We also received a $5 dollar discount per person, and that made a difference, especially for small NGO like us. So, Kudos to Daytona Adventure Park!
While awaiting their turns, the group bonded over mouthwatering pizza, refreshing drinks, and engaging conversations. Finally, the moment arrived, and our youth headed to the safety information section, while the rest of the gang geared up for an epic archery tag battle. In the end, we had 16 awesome youth participants, and guess what? Three brave parents joined the fun too! Together, they embarked on an adrenaline-fueled karting adventure, while seven of them that could not join the karting race decided to try their hand at archery tag—a thrilling experience.
Karting was an absolute blast! With engines revving and traffic lights turning green, it was time to go! The roar of the engines was deafening, adding to the thrill of the race. Like any sport, some struggled at the beginning but eventually found their groove and impressed everyone with their skills. And then there were those natural-born kart racers who effortlessly zoomed past their competitors. Who knows? We might have witnessed some future F1 stars in the making!
Meanwhile, the archery tag group had an absolute blast, strategising and trying to tag their opponents with sponge-tipped arrows. Don’t worry, folks, those arrows were not made to cause any pain—they were as soft as marshmallows! It was a fantastic opportunity for both groups to unleash their competitive spirits and have a barrel of laughs in the process.
In the end, it was a day filled with excitement and new experiences. We managed to break down financial barriers and provide something special for everyone. And for those who missed out on karting, it served as a valuable lesson in the importance of being on time for future events.
