A battery drive that could cover about 360sq km in North Otago and South Canterbury is being planned as a major fundraiser to help boost the salmon fishery on the Waitaki River.
The Waitaki Riparian Enhancement Society, which runs a salmon hatchery at Welcome Stream and salmon-raising pens at Bell's Pond, both on the Waitaki River, is planning the event for August 12.
They hope to have 30 vehicles starting between 10am and 1pm canvassing the rural area from Kakanui to St Andrews for expired waste batteries, with the potential to earn up to $6000 from the one-day fundraiser, society secretary-treasurer Linn Koevoet said yesterday.
The society has prepared 30 maps, each covering about 12sq km which, he estimated, could take about three to four hours to canvass. Urban areas, including Oamaru and Waimate, will not be canvassed.
"Some people may remember the bottle drives from yester-year - this is effectively the same but involving dead lead/acid batteries. It's a very quick way of raising funds and has been very successful in other areas," Mr Koevoet said.
The society is calling for volunteers with a vehicle and trailer for the battery drive, using the Glenavy Hall as a central muster point.
Each vehicle will have two or more people, who will be supplied with a map of the area they are to canvass and a flyer to hand to people they speak to.
If volunteers did not want to come out to Glenavy, they could get a map for an area allocated to them, Mr Koevoet saidA drop-off collection point at Twizel had already been offered.
"The objective is to visit as many farm houses as possible, asking if they are able to donate any dead batteries they may have to the society," he said.
The collection would be advertised prior to the date.
Mr Koevoet said the success of the exercise depended on a large turnout of volunteers, which would have a direct effect on the results.
