Forestry company Ernslaw One gave the West Otago Health Trust the opportunity to carry out its annual harvest of Douglas fir cones as a fundraiser instead of contracting out the work. Trust chairman Allister Body said when the fundraiser finished on Monday volunteers had filled 426 sacks with fir cones.
The trust received $42,600 from Ernslaw One for harvesting the crop.
Mr Body said 122 different people helped with the harvest across seven days. On average, about 23 volunteers pitched in each day, working a total of 1200 hours.
''The support from Ernslaw One has been amazing. This event was their initiative and was intended as a way of giving back to our community.''
Ernslaw One has a 10ha seed orchard between Ettrick and Millers Flat holding about 4000 fir trees. The best trees in the forest were picked to grow seed. Volunteers worked in teams to collect cones from the trees. About 80% of the cones were harvested from ground level with the rest picked from ladders.
Mr Body said the trust was overwhelmed with the support from volunteers who came from all over West Otago and ranged in age from their teens to their 80s.
''Some families had a representative there almost every day and other individuals did multiple days.''
Companies also supported the fundraising event. ASB provided eight staff, a barbecue and refreshments, Elders four staff over two days and CRT three staff over three days.
Andrew Morris, of West Otago, organised the harvest, and he and his family spent several days picking cones and spending hours on the phone at night making sure enough volunteers and staff were on hand each day. Mr Body said the Morris family's contribution was invaluable.
The West Otago Health Trust is working towards a new medical centre to be built on the grounds of the former Tapanui Hospital on State Highway 90. The $2.4 million project included a 14-bed rest-home which would offer the district's elderly residents a chance to stay in the town instead of in facilities in larger centres.
The centre would provide health services to more than 2000 people in West Otago and outlying areas, serving an area from Waikaka across to Pukerau in the south, and Moa Flat to Raes Junction in the north.
Any group was welcome to sponsor any of the 14 rooms still available to be sponsored.
