Serena Dickenson is a vet nurse
at Unitec Veterinary Hospital in Auckland.
Serena and the Unitec Veterinary Hospital team helped raise over $2,000
for SPAW as part of our summer competition which was designed to raise
awareness for our cause and the plight of island animals while raising much
needed funds to help us deliver free aid to island nations. The competition was open to NZ vet clinics with
two prize packages to give away to the vet clinic or vet nurse individual who
raised the most money for SPAW. We are pleased to say both winners were well deserving
of the prize packages which includes return flights to Tonga, accommodation at
the Kingdom Koffee plantation and evening meals for two weeks on Tonga as part
of our June volunteer team.
Serena wrote to us today telling
us how much she is looking forward to her experience. We will keep you updated
when Serena and the team is on the island with regular updates of their
experiences. Serena arrives on Tonga with the rest of our volunteer team on 9th
June 2012. Good luck guys – we know you will have an amazing time!
“I am really looking forward to helping both the animals and people of
Tonga who are more challenged than we are here in New Zealand in terms of
animal care. It will also be a time to both learn and experience more about the
people’s and culture of Tonga. This wonderful opportunity will provide me with
a first-hand opportunity to see just how much SPAW does in the islands to help
animals and communities develop sustainable animal aid programmes and how much
they have positively influenced animal welfare in Tonga. It also means that I
will be able to combine both my career aspirations as a vet nurse and my desire
to find out more about my Tongan heritage by meeting some of my Tongan family -
my Tongan heritage has been a strong influence in my life growing up.” Serena Dickenson, Unitec Veterinary Hospital,
Auckland, 15th May 2012
