Dam meeting raises $946

Attendees at a public meeting to discuss the Ruataniwha Dam proposal donated gold coins

A gold-coin donation on the door at Hawke's Bay Today's Ruataniwha Dam public meeting last week raised an "awesome" $946 for the Limitless Hope Emergency Shelter Appeal.

At the public debate held at Tamatea Intermediate School's hall last Thursday, people were asked to drop a coin in the bucket on the way in, and an impressive total was reached.

Arriving home from a weekend in Wellington and Hamilton researching how other emergency shelters run, Kiri Swannell, who with husband Kevin, wants to set up an emergency shelter, said the donation was "awesome".

The money would go towards setting up a space to house families in urgent need of somewhere to sleep and would work closely with multiple other organisations.

Hawke's Bay Today Editor Andrew Austin said he was thrilled that so much money had been raised for the worthy cause.

"I would like to thank all those readers and members of the public at the meeting who did not hesitate to donate to the shelter."

The Swannells discovered from the trials of other regions that they were already heading in the right direction.

"What we saw at the People's Project [in Hamilton], that's how we want to run in time, but in Wellington and Hamilton - the council's help funds it all," Mrs Swannell said.

The Swannells want to reach out to anyone in Hawke's Bay already running services who may be able to help them in future and encouraged them to get in touch.

"We are pulling in as many organisations as we can that are willing to work with us to send through their information, so we can send them referrals, that's what we have been doing."

Hawke's Bay Today will host another public meeting, this time on amalgamation of the five local councils, at Napier Boys' High School, Napier, at 6.30pm on Tuesday, August 18.

A gold-coin donation will be collected at the door and proceeds once again will go to the Limitless Hope Emergency Shelter Appeal.