RIDE OF REMEMBRANCE
he annual Ride of Remembrance was set
up in 2015 to remember New Zealand
Defence Force personnel killed or injured
in the Battle of Baghak in Afghanistan on
August 4th 2012.
Organised by Dion Taka, the most severely
injured survivor of the engagement, Dion still
lives with the debilitating effects of both Post
Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) and the chronic
nerve injury, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
(CRPS).
PTSI is suffered by many NZDF personnel
and civilian first responders, including police,
ambulance, fire and emergency staff.
Dion is also the first participant in K9
Comrade, set up by the RSA in conjunction
with the Kotuku Foundation to provide
veterans with trained assistance dogs.
The 2019 Ride of Remembrance is set to take
place the weekend of August 10-11 and sets
off from Leeston to Christchurch with the
goal of raising money for the New Zealand
branch of SPARTA (Supporting Personnel
And Responders Through Adversity) a charity
dedicated to assisting veterans and first
responders affected by PTSI.
Further details will be announced closer to
the date.
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VESPA AFICIONADOS GATHER IN ZANKA
espite the rather clunky name of Vespa
World Days 2019, there is something
rather cool about the prospect of a
world-class gathering of Vespa aficionados
- or Vespisti - and their little icons of urban
Italian style.