NUGGETS & HOIHO SWEETEN THEIR SEASON WITH COOKIE TIME

The Otago Nuggets and Southern Hoiho are delighted to announce Cookie Time as a partner for the 2023 season.

The partnership will be supporting two initiatives throughout the season, Stars in Schools, and Half Time Heroes.

The Stars in Schools program will see Otago Nuggets and Southern Hoiho players visiting schools in the region on a weekly basis and running kids through clinics and skills sessions.

The Stars in Schools initiative is being supported by Cookie Time Charitable Trust.

The Trust was established in 2003 to help New Zealand kids discover their gifts by supporting initiatives across three target areas: innovation in learning, thinking differently and physical pursuits.

Each year, the Cookie Time Charitable Trust receives a donation from sales of Cookie Time Christmas Cookies, with more than $2 million raised so far to help support the Trust’s work.

The Half Time Heroes activation at Otago Nuggets home games allows kids to participate in a game of basketball at half time and is being supported by Cookie Time’s Dunedin Cookie Bar.

Cookie Time Co-Founder and Managing Director Guy Pope-Mayell said both the Cookie Time Charitable Trust and the Dunedin Cookie Bar are pleased to be backing the Otago Nuggets.

“For the Trust, this initiative fits perfectly with our mission to help young New Zealanders reach their potential,” he said.

With Dunedin Cookie Bar being a local business, it is a pleasure to be involved with another local initiative that gets kids out on the court.”  

Otago Nuggets and Southern Hoiho General Manager Angela Ruske said partnering with Cookie Time will be rewarding for all involved.

“We’re very excited to have Cookie Time come on board as our community partner,” she said. 

“It’s important to our club that our players are seen as positive role models in the community, so getting our players into schools to run skills sessions and talk to the children is incredibly rewarding. 

“Cookie Time is also committed to giving back to the community through their Cookie Time Charitable Trust, where they help Kiwi kids discover their gifts, and it’s wonderful that we can work together in our school community programme to give the gift of basketball to these children.”