I saw a mention of this in a newsletter which came into my inbox about World Diabetes Day and I was intrigued. What is this Desert Dingo Racing I wondered, and what has it got to do with diabetes? I went to their site, saw the car (see image on the right), and was instantly enamoured.
I remember as a very little girl my brother and I were big fans of the Herbie movies (like Herbie goes to Monte Carlo etc) and this car (a 1969 VW Beetle) is just like it.
So I still haven’t put the pieces together for you. It’s pretty simple really – the guys who are behind Desert Dingo Racing are an eclectic bunch of dudes (and dude-esses) who compete in a load of off-road/desert races and raise money for the International Federation of Diabetes. The big race they do each year is the Baja 1000 which is raced in Mexico’s Baja Peninsula in the Northern Hemisphere Autumn.
If the bio page of the site is to be believed, the team is made up of a crazy/awesome mix of people: rat brain surgeon (not sure I believe this one); emergency room nurse; certified Eagle Scout (whatever that is); graphic designer; and on and on. Several of them have diabetes or a family member with diabetes.
Big shout outs to the Desert Dingo Racers! I think we should try to think up something out of the ordinary to raise money for diabetes charities down here in NZ.
Posted in Community, Funding
Tagged as Charity
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Kathy wrote
Great idea – although not really a petrol-head I fancy myself driving a VW! Herbie was also a favourite along with our kids all those years ago. Diabetes New Zealand and all the local societies could sure do with a huge injection to realise their dreams of access to diabetes services for all those in need.
Roy wrote
Like you say Kathy, great idea. I learned to drive in a Herbie, but have no desire to drive one again.
One very am, am in my petrol head days, (less than 12 cents per litre), this time of year and frosty. I happened upon a Herbie with his headlights still on in a lagoon on the Dunedin / Port Chalmers highway, the tide was high and and I learned later that the boot seal was so good, the battery enclosed was kept dry.
Can anybody say if NZ driving laws with diabetes are any better or worse than say Australia or wherever?