Thirty niners (39ners) taken in 2007.  Standing: Arthur Midwood, Tāmati Paraone, Bill Delamere.  Sitting: Sonny Sewell.

In early April 2007 Pania Tyson Nathan, Harima Fraser, Matt Te Pou and Bert Mackie held a fundraiser to take the 28th Māori Battalion veterans to the All Black v France rugby test match at Eden Park in Auckland Queens Birthday weekend 2007.  Pania sent out an email to 500 people throughout the community with the catch-phrase "$30k in 30 days" and it outlined the proposed intentions of the taking the 28 Māori Battalion veterans to the test match.  The NZ Māori Rugby Association also supported the occasion by hosting the veterans at a Friday luncheon held at the Ellerslie Race Course.  The response to the fundraiser email was overwhelming and exceeded our expectations.  We raised approximately $60k over 2 months leading up to the test match, double the target amount.  Every contributor received a receipt for their donation.  The veterans and their caregivers were treated like royalty for the 2007 Queen's Birthday weekend.  A photographer was hired to take these photos (see others in the Photo gallery) during that weekend in 2007.