Kristin Crockett left was thanked with a gift from Cherie Pickin and other Park Lane Village residents after shopping for them during lockdown.
"Thank you for saving our lives and keeping our village safe."
That was the message from residents at Park Lane Village in Katikati to Kristin Crockett when surprising her with a gift of thanks for doing their shopping in lockdown.
Kristin told the residents she had really enjoyed helping them, to which they replied: "You're not stopping now are you?"
She smiled and told them she couldn't do it on a full-time basis as she worked at Katch Katikati.
"Maybe in a few years' time," she added.
Park Lane resident Cherie Pickin realised the week before lockdown that some of the residents would not be able to access grocery shopping.
"Most of us are over 70 and some over 80 years of age."
In this age group many did not have the internet or credit cards, so shopping online was not an option.
Cherie phoned the manager of Countdown and explained their situation and asked if she put one large order in for the residents, how were they going to get around the limits on some items. She was advised to put multiple orders through and he would watch out for them.
"It was a nice offer but, like the rest of us, Countdown was not ready for the onslaught of online orders the lockdown would bring, Cherie said.
"It was impossible to get delivery slots - even waiting until midnight each night for the rollover of delivery slots," she said.
Two days into level 4, Cherie became aware she needed to take urgent action.
"There were nine residents with no family close and no-one to shop for them.
"So early into the pandemic no community services had been set up."
Cherie phoned Alan Hay, president of the Katikati Lions Club seeking advice.
"Alan's partner Kristin Crockett heard the call and volunteered to help. Our problem was solved," she said.
Kristin took on the nine households and shopped every Monday and Wednesday for these people waiting in long lines, putting herself at risk, through levels 4, 3 and into level 2 ... and the residents loved her.
"We call her our Angel."
Cherie gave a huge thank you to Kristin from the residents of Park Lane Village.
"You are the best and we thank God for people like you."
Resident Jane Muir said she doesn't know what she'd have done without their help.
"I was out getting my debit card which I used at the bank. When I went down to do it the town was dead, many shops had closed by lunchtime that day.
"If it hadn't been for Cherie and Kristin, I don't know what we'd have done."
Cherie offered for the residents to use her card to pay for the items ... "it was the Bank of Cherie, during lockdown", which they paid back later.
One of the residents, Dorothy Barker, said it's unusual to find someone say "just use my account".
Dorothy has since been on a computer learning how to use online banking and how she can put an order through and even get the next day.
"It's amazing," she said.
Now the country is at level 1, Jane said even she is not comfortable doing the shopping at the supermarket.
"I get in and out quick."
Dorothy said she appreciated what the Prime Minister did when putting the country in lockdown.
