A long-time Queenstowner, who now lives near Wanaka, returns to the resort today on a 50cc scooter as part of a fundraiser dear to
his heart.
Former broadcaster and pilot Grant Stewart is one of 150 entrants in the Southern Scooter Challenge travelling 216km from Bluff to Queenstown on no more than 50cc bikes.
Organised by the PlaceMakers Foundation, it’s a prostate cancer fundraiser that’s run since 2010.
Like most other events, it was postponed last year, due to Covid.
Stewart — who, as ‘Captain Grant Stewart’, will don an old airforce flying suit — says ‘‘with me being through the whole cancer thing myself, even though it wasn’t prostate, it was head and neck cancer, I just thought it’s a good time to give back and to remember all those who helped me’’.
In terms of giving back, he’s already raised about $14,000 for Hospice Southland and the Southland Charity Hospital.
That’s about $11,000 more than the next-highest fundraiser.
‘‘It’s been easier for me because I’ve been on radio.
‘‘I’ve tapped people like [sailing legend] Grant Dalton and some big companies.’’
He’s also riding in memory of both the late ‘Rocket Ron’ Kirkman, a Race to the Sky quad bike competitor and character who helped fund his Aprilia bike, and his sister-in-law, who recently passed away from melanoma.
Stewart’s ridden the event twice and had the fastest elapsed time.
‘‘I’ve had to keep reminding myself it’s not a race.’’
The riders, who make several stops en route, including the Devil’s Staircase, near Kingston, and the Frankton roundabout, are due at the Recreation Ground around mid-afternoon today.
