Meet Team KidsCan! Seven KidsCan staff (plus a few extra hangers on... in our trusty support vehicle) will be joining the epic Pork Pie Charity Run in 2021 to once again coordinate our movements and get a MINI from Paihia to Invercargill.... that’s over 2500km in just six days. Along the way we will be doing our bit to raise funds for New Zealand children who deserve a chance to succeed in life regardless of their financial situation.    

Karleen and Kimbo will get Team KidsCan underway on the first leg from Paihia to Auckland. Karleen is all about action, while Kimbo is the planner, so it’s fairly clear who will take the steering wheel and who will be the co-driver. Kimbo is in it for the long haul, swapping from the main car in Auckland to a support vehicle for the rest of the Pork Pie Charity Run. She’ll be looking for places to enjoy a long black, rocking out to 80s rock classics or early 2000s dance music, and snacking on cereal, and dark chocolate. When Karleen is not behind the wheel of a car, she likes to remain active by playing tennis or tramping around in the bush. She’ll be looking forward to getting back to Auckland in time for lunch, which could be anything from Uber Eats or even a cheeky sausage sizzle.

Chrystal and Megan will take Team KidsCan from Auckland to Wellington. These gym buddies will tackle any problems they face with plenty of the positivity and laughter that they bring to their day jobs at KidsCan. Keen netballer Chrystal might find that her height, while an advantage on the court, could prove a challenge in a Mini. She’ll control the sound system with local radio and picks from Spotify. Between snacks of almonds and chocolate, she’ll keep the conversation flowing because she loves to talk! International-woman-of-mystery Megan, will take all of this in her stride, as she’s really easy going and is happy to listen to anything. This Philadelphia native now calls NZ home after a long stint in Queensland, and will keep herself fuelled with pretzels (or something else salty) and local tap water. At rest stops, Megan will most likely be checking in on trials and tribulations of her favourite sports teams, the Philadelphia Eagles and the North Queensland Cowboys, while Chrystal will be catching up with the antics of her 18 month old son.

Howard will be battling for control of the sound system after being joined by Karleen again, as they make their way from Wellington to Queenstown. There will be an eclectic mix of Kiwi music played, ranging from The Mutton Birds, Split Enz and Th’ Dudes through to Shihad, Six60 and Benee. They will be exploring some of the most scenic parts of the South Island which contemplating life’s greatest mysteries.

KidsCan CEO and founder Julie Chapman, along with KidsCan ambassador Jordan - aka 'How to Dad', will anchor the final leg of the run from Queenstown to Invercargill. Julie, a self-described cat-lady will leave all the cool cats and kittens behind in Auckland and embark on this journey through the Deep South fuelled by Cheezels, sour snakes and an assortment of rap tunes. Julie is looking look forward to a warm reception and a glass of bubbles on arrival in Invercargill at the conclusion of the Pork Pie Charity Run.

Huge thanks to MINI and CookieTime for providing us with vehicles for the run. 

 “[Together] we’re taking this car to Invercargill!” 

Please support us by clicking the big red donate button.

Thank you!