Peripatetic organist raises $34,500

Press, 27 September 1986, Page 37

Peripatetic organist raises $34,500

A Christchurch organist, Mr Raymond Robbie, aged 72, has played throughout New Zealand, enduring gale force winds, blizzards, and searing summer heat, raising a total of $34,500 for the Crippled Children Society. Mr Robbie is wellknown In Christchurch for his solo organ and harmonica performances for television telethons and fund-raising efforts for several local charities, including Nurse Maude, Red Cross and the Cholmondeley Children’s Home. Since January, he has travelled throughout New Zealand in a small orange van, stopping to play his portable organ and harmonica in streets and shopping malls. People’s warmth and concern had helped keep him going in spite of snow and gale force winds in George Street, Dunedin, and summer heat in the North Island, said Mr Robbie.

A deeply religious man, Mr Robbie said he played only "sacred music,” yet people would always comment on how much they enjoyed it. Since July, Mr Robbie has travelled from Invercargill, to Gore, Queenstown, Balclutha, and through to the West Coast, Blenheim and Nelson. He has been back in Christchurch for about two weeks. In the North Island, Mr Robbie managed to raise $26,000, and so far in the South Island he has raised about $B5OO. The Railways Corporation had supported his trip by paying the ferry fare across Cook Strait and Shell Oil New Zealand, Ltd, was supplying petrol vouchers, he said. Mr Robbie will continue to raise funds for the Christchurch branch of the society until Christmas, between his commitments to other community groups. The money he raised in each centre went to the Crippled Children Society branch in that area, said Mr Robbie. Mr Robbie said he would continue to travel the country next year to raise money for the Crippled Children Society “as long as there is life in me.” “I’ve just got to do it again for the kids.”