Driven Mad Maz


Take a clapped out $300 car with a measly one-litre engine, add two plucky youngsters, then throw them into a 20,000km drive from London to Russia. What do you have? The Mongol Rally of course! It sounds like complete madness and will take fierce determination, but it’s all in the name of charity. Mangawhai couple Emma Kent and Corey Radford, are turning their grief following the suicide of two close friends into something positive. They’re out to raise cash for the Mangawhai Activity Zone (MAZ). The local recreational area needs a further $800,000 to complete the skate park, outdoor fitness area, three BMX tracks, a sound shell for outdoor events and the sports field.

While the car rally is impressive enough, Emma and Corey’s campaign will also include more traditional ways to generate a buck; a local school disco and mufti day, skating competition, fun-run, pub quiz and the list keeps growing. The couple decided MAZ was a worthy project for their fundraising endeavours. “The park is a place where community gather and no one needs to feel alone, it stands for wellbeing and empowering youth,” Emma says.

The gut-wrenching loss of mates has made them determined to do something proactive within their community and hopefully prevent it from happening to others. We salute their fortitude.