Community ministries team leader Tania Hore (left) and corps officer Kylie Overbye surrounded by Christmas hampers and gifts.
The big day had finally arrived.
After nearly six weeks of incredible generosity for this year's Christmas Appeal, those in need got their chance to collect their special Christmas hampers yesterday.
Xmas
A long table with numerous volunteers all equipped to hand-out assigned Christmas parcels, cakes and treats - and even free pairs of jandals - was set up at the Salvation Army's Pukuatua St premises, eagerly awaiting the hamper recipients.
Their faces when they came in were what made it all worth it, said Salvation Army community ministries team leader Tania Hore.
She said many were a vision of total delight, some broke down in tears and she could see a huge sense of relief cross many faces as they received their hamper.
Brilliantly, at the same time as the parcels were being handed out, Christmas at the Sallies was taking place.
This meant children could be whisked away to do crafts and read stories, while their parents selected special Christmas gifts to wrap for them from the large bags of donated presents.
People were coming in to help, teas were being made, babies were crying and the place was alive.
Handing out the parcels was always a major highlight of the appeal, Hore said.
Tyarna Edwards, 5, and Lisa Davies. Photo / Ben Fraser
On Wednesday, a convoy of Salvation Army trucks took more than 40 Christmas hampers to people in need in Murupara.
Hore said seeing the difference it made for them to have the teams in their community and helping them directly was incredible.
"These parcels are a lifeline for some people ... the blessing of a hamper is huge to them."
The success of this year's appeal had shown how strongly the community could bind together to give those struggling "a little bit of help", she said.
She said without this, so many would be left with nothing after Christmas and enter the new year in distress.
Corps officer Kylie Overbye said a highlight for her the past few days was the "overwhelming" amount of generosity leading up to the handout.
Overbye said it was the kind that made her "well up inside" to see that people just wanted to help.
Community ministries team leader Tania Hore (left) and corps officer Kylie Overbye surrounded by Christmas hampers and gifts. Photo / Ben Fraser
One man had come in three times in the past week to donate what he could, she said.
Thirty-six bags of fresh vegetables and 21 bags of sausages later and the man had single-handedly brightened many of the Christmas hamper recipients' special day.
