Rotary funds to help cyclone flood victims

The first of seven fridge-freezers to go to people affected by Cyclone Gabrielle flooding went to the Rev Winnie Douglas (second right). With her are (from left) Te Karaka Civil Defence coordinator Frank Ngatoro, James Craig of Fenns Furniture & Appliances, and Warwick Callender, of the Rotary Club of Gisborne. Picture by Paul Rickard

Fridges are among the household appliances ruined in many homes by the contaminated floodwaters of Cyclone Gabrielle.

The Rotary Club of Gisborne has handed over the first of seven fridge-freezers bought with Rotary International funds for district residents who lost their fridges in the flooding.

Club acting president Warwick Callender said the money for the fridges was part of a package of grants Rotary was organising for the Tairāwhiti district.

The discount given by Fenns Furniture & Appliances meant seven fridges — rather than six — could be bought.

The advice of Civil Defence personnel was sought in deciding where the fridges would give the most benefit, Mr Callender said.

Not all the fridges were being given out at once because in some cases the houses were not ready for them.

The Gisborne club had been given $6000 by Rotary International and $10,500 as its share of contributions from Rotarians around New Zealand and in Australia to help affected residents in their recovery.

“And more will be coming,” Mr Callender said.

Some grant money was being held back a few months so it would be available when the dust had settled and more significant longer-term issues might become evident. At a local level, the Gisborne club was also liaising with Civil Defence personnel to be aware of needs that arose “down the track”.

The need for fridge-freezers, in Te Karaka in particular, became apparent to Mr Callender when he was in the township doing recovery work in the cyclone’s aftermath.

“One of my jobs was squashing fridge-freezers that had been ruined by contaminated floodwaters,” he said. “The need seemed obvious.”

The Rev Winnie Douglas, of Te Karaka, was the first person to receive one of the fridge-freezers.