The Western Bay community and businesses are pulling together with their Eastern counterparts this week after the devastating Edgecumbe flooding.
Individuals and groups around the Bay have offered everything from money to rabbit hutches to prayers - all with the hope it helps Edgecumbe residents get back on their feet - and, importantly, a smile on their faces.
One Tauranga business is hoping to raise $10,000 for the relief fund by matching staff donations dollar for dollar - and is challenging other local businesses to do the same.
Realty Group, which owns the Bayleys and Eves real estate brands, said it had asked its 480 staff to consider giving to help out the relief effort.
Chief executive Simon Anderson said the staff donations would be tallied tonight, doubled by the company, and sent to the Mayoral Flood Appeal Givealittle fund.
"We're expecting staff to give $5000 and we'll match it with $5000, to make it $10,000, but if it goes over that, we'll still match it," Mr Anderson said.
"We'll challenge other companies to do the same to help Edgecumbe."
The Mayoral Flood Appeal Givealittle page, which is open for anyone to donate online, ticked over $30,000 on Tuesday afternoon. Donations range from as little as $5 to more than $2000.
Mr Anderson said the scale of the flooding was heartbreaking, especially because it was so close to home.
"What we saw happen in Edgecumbe, and it's an important part of our area, was pretty devastating for us all.
"Realty staff are a hell of a generous group. I can't believe some of the emails I've got from staff who say things like how cool it is to work for a company that cares about our people. It's been a pretty cool thing that staff have got behind."
Realty Group has staff across the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Taranaki.
The Kia Kaha Edgecumbe Facebook page, a community page for residents to post information, has been inundated with incredibly generous offers of goods and services - and, crucially, hope.
Dozens of companies and individuals from the Western Bay have offered help or essential items.
Whakatane district mayor Tony Bonne said the support from around the country had been fantastic.
"It's phenomenal. We're all just one big family in New Zealand aren't we, and we all just help each other," he said.
Mr Bonne said the South Waikato District Council and Taneatua Lions both donated $10,000 almost immediately after the flooding.
He said money was now the most important donation people outside the area could make.
"The reality is if people can afford a financial donation, that will help people a long way. They just need help.
"I'm hoping once we can get through these events in the next week we can action this mayoral fund sooner rather than later."
Cooper Tyres in Mount Maunganui, which put out a public appeal on Thursday, has now delivered eight van and trailer loads of food, clothing, toiletries, blankets and towels down the coast.
The firm asked on Facebook for drop-offs of goods it could deliver to those affected. The request was shared more than 570 times and received a tremendous community response.
"We had a big response on it. Everyone was just really thankful that we were doing it. A lot of people had families down there and the community as well."
Cooper Tyres technician Jayden Khan said the firm was still accepting donations until today,and would make another trip down.
Western Bay communities and businesses rally in support of flood-stricken Edgecumbe
By Jordan Bond
1:29 PM Wednesday Apr 12, 2017
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[Realty Group chief executive Simon Anderson says the company has asked its 480 staff to consider giving to help out the relief effort.]
Realty Group chief executive Simon Anderson says the company has asked its 480 staff to consider giving to help out the relief effort.
The Western Bay community and businesses are pulling together with their Eastern counterparts this week after the devastating Edgecumbe flooding.
Individuals and groups around the Bay have offered everything from money to rabbit hutches to prayers - all with the hope it helps Edgecumbe residents get back on their feet - and, importantly, a smile on their faces.
One Tauranga business is hoping to raise $10,000 for the relief fund by matching staff donations dollar for dollar - and is challenging other local businesses to do the same.
Realty Group, which owns the Bayleys and Eves real estate brands, said it had asked its 480 staff to consider giving to help out the relief effort.
Chief executive Simon Anderson said the staff donations would be tallied tonight, doubled by the company, and sent to the Mayoral Flood Appeal Givealittle fund.
"We're expecting staff to give $5000 and we'll match it with $5000, to make it $10,000, but if it goes over that, we'll still match it," Mr Anderson said.
"We'll challenge other companies to do the same to help Edgecumbe."
The Mayoral Flood Appeal Givealittle page, which is open for anyone to donate online, ticked over $30,000 on Tuesday afternoon. Donations range from as little as $5 to more than $2000.
Mr Anderson said the scale of the flooding was heartbreaking, especially because it was so close to home.
Continued below.
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"What we saw happen in Edgecumbe, and it's an important part of our area, was pretty devastating for us all.
"Realty staff are a hell of a generous group. I can't believe some of the emails I've got from staff who say things like how cool it is to work for a company that cares about our people. It's been a pretty cool thing that staff have got behind."
Realty Group has staff across the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Taranaki.
The Kia Kaha Edgecumbe Facebook page, a community page for residents to post information, has been inundated with incredibly generous offers of goods and services - and, crucially, hope.
Dozens of companies and individuals from the Western Bay have offered help or essential items.
Whakatane district mayor Tony Bonne said the support from around the country had been fantastic.
"It's phenomenal. We're all just one big family in New Zealand aren't we, and we all just help each other," he said.
Mr Bonne said the South Waikato District Council and Taneatua Lions both donated $10,000 almost immediately after the flooding.
He said money was now the most important donation people outside the area could make.
"The reality is if people can afford a financial donation, that will help people a long way. They just need help.
"I'm hoping once we can get through these events in the next week we can action this mayoral fund sooner rather than later."
Cooper Tyres in Mount Maunganui, which put out a public appeal on Thursday, has now delivered eight van and trailer loads of food, clothing, toiletries, blankets and towels down the coast.
The firm asked on Facebook for drop-offs of goods it could deliver to those affected. The request was shared more than 570 times and received a tremendous community response.
"We had a big response on it. Everyone was just really thankful that we were doing it. A lot of people had families down there and the community as well."
Cooper Tyres technician Jayden Khan said the firm was still accepting donations until today,and would make another trip down.
The owners of Mount Maunganui's Bay Radiators, Michelle and Denis Sefton, posted an appeal to get supplies to help out Edgecumbe's furrier friends, many of whom also lost their homes.
Mrs Sefton said they delivered a trailer load of various animal food, litter trays, pet beds, sheets, towels and toys after a "huge response" from the public.
"We did an appeal on our Facebook page which was viewed more than 40,000 times - just about every animal rescue in the country was sharing it."
Mrs Sefton said they particularly wanted to help out the Edgecumbe Bunny Rescue which was destroyed. The rabbits were saved but had nowhere to live.
Mrs Sefton said the public provided most of the animal goods, but Countdown Te Puke, the Warehouse Papamoa, Te Puke's Natural Therapies and Western Bay Hire also donated.
Source: Bay Of Plenty Times.
