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Ōrewa’s iconic treasure hunt is returning to the beach this January and everyone is invited to the family-friendly event.
The Ōrewa Lions Club is hosting it’s annual Big Dig on Saturday, January 11. This year the profits will be donated to HBC Grandparents Parenting Grandchildren and Ōrewa Sea Scouts.
The sea scouts will also receive funds from the sales of the Lions club’s 2025 calendar. Scout group leader Jonathan Weatherby says they will use the funds towards new sails for their two cutters, which will cost about $3000 per sail. The current sails have been repaired many times over and are coming to the end of their lives.
“Sailing is an important part of being a sea scout group, as this enables us to teach our youth sailing skills they would not otherwise have the opportunity to learn and experience,” Weatherby says.
The sea scouts also help set up the event, burying the iceblock sticks once the sand near the surf club has been loosened with digger equipment. One area will be cordoned off for the under-fives age category, which takes place before the over-fives start digging. Sticks are redeemed for a small prize and a raffle ticket entering them in a bigger prize draw held at the end of the event.
Lions club president Wendy Miller said the annual event has raised between $5500 and $10,000 in the past. Other charities to have received funds from the event include Ōrewa Surf Life Saving Club, Hibiscus Coast Youth Centre and Hibiscus Coast Community Patrol.
This year, Miller promises even more food trucks in addition to the carnival games, rides and entertainment.
“Each year we look for new ways to entertain the families who come along. We will have stalls, beach activities, great food and refreshments, as well as our famous raffles. But you need to be there to claim your raffle prize in person,” Miller said.
The famous quickfire raffles and diggers prize draw will be run during the Big Dig but the community raffle is already on sale and has some big prizes up for grabs – a $1000 supermarket voucher, $500 travel voucher, and a Coastguard experience.
For more information on the Big Dig and to enter the raffles, contact the Ōrewa Lions Club via Facebook @orewalions
