Flying high thanks to Air New Zealand 

StarJam Jambassador Ray Woolf receives honour

Meet two new Jammers 

The year has certainly started on a high note with the presentation of the ginormous plane-shaped $135,000 cheque from Air New Zealand.   StarJam, along with Starship Foundation and Make A Wish Foundation was a very happy beneficiary of Air New Zealand’s “Kids at Christmas” online charity auction.   The cheque presentation took place on Monday 4^th February at Air New Zealand’s downtown Auckland offices.

This magnificent donation will help us to provide a greater number of opportunities for young people with disabilities to join our Talent Expansion Programme, get on stage and get jamming. We are enormously grateful to Air New Zealand for the support they provide StarJam and all the Jammers.

We were delighted to learn that one of our Jambassdaors, Ray Woolf, was named as a recipient of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to entertainment in this year’s New Year Honours list.  We send hearty congratulations to Ray for receiving this prestigious and much-deserved award.  We are enormously proud of Ray and the great honour he has brought to StarJam by being our Jambassador. 

Ray has performed in six of StarJam’s major productions including the first-ever show in November 2002. In the StarJam Stage Show in 2005, he played the role of “The King”. Together with his jester, played by Michael Barrymore, he helped the Jammers on their journey to the land of StarJam.

Michael Barrymore, Ray Woolf with Jammers Red Nicholson, Anthony Jellyman and Olivia Shivas. Photo by Patrick Bellett.

StarJam has five Jambassadors, Daniel Gourlay, John Hawkesby, Jono Heaps, DJ (Dean) Morath and Ray Woolf.

Sisters Amy, 10 and Jessica, 12, Wootton have recently discovered StarJam.  Both love singing and acting and would like to carve out careers in these fields.  Amy also loves gymnastics and Jessica is keen on the internet.  Both girls attend Whenuapai School and will be singing their hearts out in a CoolJam singing workshop starting this week.

 CoolJam Workshops

This week, around 100 Jammers are starting in on a new series of CoolJam workshops.   We have some very excited young people chomping at the bit to get jamming.  Some are already asking about performing in the end of year show!!   Watch out for news of great jamming achievements and of course the show.  

Thank you for all your support.