The Rotorua Daily Post has launched its annual Christmas Appeal supporting the Salvation Army foodbank. Video / Andrew Warner
The Rotorua Christmas Appeal has been given a boost of about 200 items, thanks to about 25 members of the Rotary club.
Supported by the Rotorua Daily Post and now in its second-to-last week, the annual appeal aims to collect donations of food and money to help fill the foodbank’s shelves, assisting the Salvation Army’s work through the Christmas period and into next year.
The foodbank values items collected during the appeal at $2.50 each.
As of December 9, the Salvation Army has received $61,097.50 worth of donated food, money and gifts.
This breaks down to 14646 food items, 307 gifts, and $20,060 in cash donations.
Rotarian Mark Gould was in charge of fundraising this year. He asked fellow Rotarians to focus on supplying non-perishable items to Salvation Army’s choice-model supermarket.
“What we’ve tried to provide is just a small token for people in need at Christmastime – a lot of families haven’t got the facility of food or knick-knacks, little drinks or anything like that,” Gould said.
(From left): Salvation Army kai co-ordinator Tracey Ball, Rotarian Dennis Neilson, and Salvation Army community ministries manager Darnielle Hoods. Photo / Aleyna Martinez
Rotary Club president Arash Alaeinia thanked Salvation Army community ministries manager Darnielle Hoods for the work the Salvation Army did in the community during the holidays.
Alaeinia, who has Persian heritage, came to Rotorua from England 15 years ago.
He said it was the prominent ”manaakitanga” in Rotorua which helped him feel at home.
“Manaakitanga is very similar to my cultural background, which is about helping others and being welcoming, so I love that spirit that we have, and it’s a real attribute for Rotorua.
“So it’s lovely to see on many different levels.”
“We are one of seven billion, but you know, the body is made up of single cells, so a small group makes up a neighbourhood, and that’s the building blocks of communities.
Rotorua MP Todd McClay and the National Party team hosted a sausage sizzle at the Rotorua A&P Show last weekend.
“Communities are the building blocks of cities and counties, and counties are the building blocks of the country, and then the countries are the building blocks of the world.
”We all can make a difference,” he said.
Rotorua A&P show adds to Christmas appeal tally
Rotarian and National Party member Dennis Neilson said a sausage sizzle was also held over the weekend at the Rotorua A&P Show.
Alongside Rotorua MP Todd McClay, the group raised ”several hundred dollars” for the Salvation Army.
McClay said about 192 sausages were sold through the sausage sizzle.
“The National Party will be rounding up to donate $480 to the Salvation Army from these efforts.
“The Salvation Army in Rotorua does an amazing job, and we are pleased to be able to support their annual Christmas Appeal. It was great to see so many locals out in support at the A&P show,” McClay said.
Aleyna Martinez is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. She moved to the region in 2024 and has previously reported in Wairarapa and at Pacific Media Network.
