Community spirit boosts appeal tally

GIVING: Papamoa mother of two Jenny Ericksen and 11-year-old Summer donate food.PHOTO/GEORGE NOVAK

The 2015 Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal has so far raised more than $93,000 in cash and food items for Tauranga Community Foodbank

Last night Bay of Plenty Times staff and volunteers hit the streets of Papamoa, with residents generously donating cans of food and other grocery items

Summerland Crescent resident Jenny Ericksen said she and her daughters Summer, 11, and 7-year-old Chelsey were only too happy to donate.

"We will be surrounded by lots of family and will be sitting down to a big feast.

"I can't even imagine what it must be like to not have enough food for Christmas, and not be able to participate in the festivities most of us take for granted," Ms Ericksen said.

On Monday the appeal collection totalled $93,812 in cash and food items, which was an awesome result, said Bay of Plenty Times collection coordinator Sonya Bateson.

Tauranga Community Foodbank chairman Alan Plunkett said he was "absolutely thrilled" by the response, including from a woman in her 90s who donated four cans of soup.

Anyone who was not home when our collectors called can still drop off items to the Bay of Plenty Times office at 405 Cameron Rd, or Tauranga Foodbank headquarters at Unit G, Brook Street.