It's always heartening to be reminded that community spirit is alive and well in our city. Two stories in today's edition are great examples of this.
Last week we ran the story of 74-year-old Ron Rolfe who, while out walking, ended up in the Ngongotaha Stream and was unable to get himself out of deep water. Two teens saw him in trouble and got him out of the stream. They disappeared before a very grateful Mr Rolfe got a chance to thank them properly or find out who they were, but they've since come forward and now the community is rewarding them for their good deed.
Businesses have come up with a range of products as a thank-you to the teenagers for helping Mr Rolfe. Rainbow Springs, Skyline and Houghtons Hardware are treating the pair while Valentine's are giving them and the Rolfes dinner vouchers.
People who do a good deed deserve to be recognised and the businesses that are rewarding these boys also deserve our thanks. We would all like to think if we were ever in trouble, somebody would help us out. Both the efforts of the two young guys and the response of the local businesses is a great demonstration of community-mindedness.
We also have a great charity event coming up. This year's Supper Club event is raising money for the Ronald McDonald Family Retreat at Ngongotaha, a lakeside holiday home provided free to seriously ill children and their families. Businesses have been very generous in becoming involved and putting up prizes for auction, the biggest a $10,000 trip to Adelaide which the Rotorua Airport company pulled together.
