Editorial: Our folk keen to help out

Human nature is a fabulous thing isn't it?

No sooner had our story hit the streets about Rotorua woman Sharlene Coe losing everything in a house fire than locals were jumping to offer her help.

Firefighters say the fire isn't suspicious and started in the kitchen area. The exact cause isn't yet known. Mrs Coe was admitted to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

Our phones at the Rotorua Daily Post have been running hot with people offering to donate goods to Mrs Coe. We have also had a stack of household items dropped off to our Rotorua Daily Post offices.

I'm certain Rotorua has more kind souls than anywhere else in New Zealand.

Only last week British tourists were in the news after their van was broken into in Taupo. They lost up to $16,000 worth of possessions and mementoes from their year-long holiday in New Zealand. This crime didn't happen in Rotorua yet locals here still felt the need to step in. They enjoyed free accommodation at Rotorua's Alpin Motel and free entry to Tamaki Maori Village, Rainbow Springs and K-Jet.

Do I need to mention what happened when we reported on the plight of Gavin Hayes last year? The elderly man had his car stolen three times by teens preying on his vulnerability. His heart-wrenching tale pulled at the heartstrings of locals who opened their wallets to buy him a new car. In the end, a local business gave him a new one, with the funds going towards insurance and replacing the other items the teens stole.

Rotorua - you are a city of troopers.