Wanganui Chronicle, Friday January 19, page 4
GNOME AWAY FROM HOME RAISING MONEY FOR CANCER - BY MARY BRYAN
HE'S OFF!! – Gnorman the Gnome was farewelled from the Wanganui Cancer Centre yesterday. After a 2-day break to psych himself up for a year of non-stop travelling raising money for cancer, he heads for Wellington on Sunday.
Gnorman is no ordinary gnome as he revealed in a brief interview with the Chronicle.
"I'm not even a week old. I was only conceived last Saturday, but I am already engaged to marry in January 2008. A travel itinerary has been drawn up that will take me around New Zealand to meet a lot of national personalities – don't ask me who they are, I am too young to have even heard of them! But I can't say no, because I'll be raising money for the New Zealand Cancer Society's Research Projects."
Gnorman said he was very excited about his trip but " very sad" to part from his fiance Gnorma-Jean for so long.
"I guess we will write and phone each other. She is going to travel around Australia to raise money for cancer research, but it won't be the same as sitting side-by-side in our Castlecliff home, but I am taking my teddy bear and cat and super glue in case any of my vital parts get knocked off. Gnorma-Jean wants me back in one piece."
Gnorma has drawn up a set of safety rules for his travels- Gno to Alcohol, Gno to Gnudity, and always be gnice to Gnorman.
However he forgot to draw up any rules for Gnorma-Jean.
" I expect she will have an absolute blast when she visits Australia but that should make her happy to settle down with me when she comes back"
Gnorman's conception was a group affair. It came from an on-line discussion by New Zealand Trade-Me traders, one of whom was Joy Clark of Wanganui.
"We thought it might be a laugh to send a small polymer clay gnome from place to place around New Zealand, hopefully ending up at Trade-Me HQ in Wellington in time for an appearance on the Trade Me Community Web-Cam by Xmas 2007.
"I agreed to make the gnome."
From there the idea took on a life of its own, as gnomes are known to do and as a former member of the group has died from cancer it was decided to make the travel trip, a fund-raiser for Cancer research.
5 of the group, Janie, Suzie, Sue, Jo and Mrs Clark then worked quickly to make the gnome a reality and on January 16 Gnorman the Gnome had his own on-line blog -http://trackthegnome.blogspot.com/2007/01/gnomes-convention.html
... quickly followed by a postal address
The Roaming Gnome,
PO Box 11 474, Palm Beach Plaza,
Tauranga 3151
... and sponsorship by Fastway Couriers.
And as news of Gnorman the Gnome's birth spread, Australian traders on Trade me wanted their own Gnome, which led to Gnorma-Jean's birth.
"Everyone who gets involved with Gnorman the Gnome and Gnorma-Jean is likely to give them wedding presents and these along with the photographs some of which will be autographed by the personalities they meet, and the journals of their travels, will be auctioned on Trade Me and the money given to the Cancer Society. We are hoping to raise at least $15,000", Mrs Clark said.
Contributed by Joybells
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2 comments:
Thanks a lot for going to the trouble to type this up for us all to read :)
(origami) Well done on the first of what one hopes will be many newsworthy appearances. Not quite sure why a 4 of the group of 5 have their first name mentioned, but somehow Joy is so formally referred to as Mrs Clark!
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