A plan by two Southland women, from Waikaia and Tuatapere respectively, to transport baking to Cheviot in a ute "blew up" into a region-wide collection effort and 10 Waitaki Boys’ High School pupils are driving up after school today to "hoe in" and help where needed.
One of those boys, Duncan Macfarlane (15), of Culverden, missed the 3am phone call from his mother, Sandra, on the night of the earthquake. He had yet to speak to her or his father, Paul, in detail about the night the 7.8 magnitude quake struck 15km northeast of the town in which he grew up. That would happen at the weekend.
Waitaki Boys’ hostel manager Dan Keno, who, together with matron Sandra Kitto, organised the trip for the boys up to Canterbury, had to turn down seniors who wanted to pitch in, but had exams.
He put out a call for donations on social media — for tinned food, water, toiletries, cleaning supplies — and received an immediate response from Oamaru.
"I imagine when we hit the ground it’s just going to be chaotic. To experience this level of devastation first hand, I think, will be a real eye-opener," Mr Keno said.
The boys would spend the weekend moving stock, cleaning up houses, or whatever else was needed.
Further south, Waikaia woman Stacey Cunningham received a message from her friend, Lyndal Gill, in Tuatapare, seeking help in organising a delivery of baked goods to Cheviot and soon found that their call for donations had drawn an "over the top" response.
People in Invercargill, Gore, Winton, Otautau, Tuatapere, Mataura and other parts of the region all had something to give.
"It absolutely blew up and we got [supplies] from all over Southland," Miss Cunningham said.
"There’s just been people helping all over the show."
The original plan of delivering baked goods in a ute had snowballed and transport company Mainfreight had become involved.
In Queenstown, residents are being encouraged to drop off home-cooked meals and baking at Over the Top Helicopters’ hangar in Frankton before Sunday ahead of a "Flying Food Drop".
The drop is being organised by Branches Station in conjunction with the helicopter company, and is aimed at providing those affected by Monday’s earthquake with comfort food.
People were encouraged to put a note with their meals or baking detailing what it was and who made it.
