About 100 people attended a community barbeque in Drummond yesterday, enabling the community to share their experiences with each other.
Southland Mayor-elect Rob Scott spoke at the event, while representatives from the Southland Rural Support Trust, Dairy New Zealand and ASB rural also attended.
Scouts from the Otautau St Andrews Scout Club brought baking to share, having spent recent days supporting elderly in the community.
Similar barbeques will be held around the region over the coming days.
Today Woodlands Rugby Club near Invercargill and Riverton Rugby Club will both host barbeques, while tomorrow Tokanui Tavern and Dipton Golf Course will host barbeques.
It comes as Southlanders continue recovering from the wild wind that caused havoc across the South last Thursday.
PowerNet chief executive Paul Blue said today 3400 customers in Southland remain without power, alongside 1674 in Otago.
There are 31 generators that Emergency Management Southland are circulating in the community to support critical infrastructure, dairy sheds and community hubs.
Emergency Management said the large generator situation was under control, while the need now was for smaller ones for water pumps and generator use.
There were several other welfare and community hubs providing amenities such as hot showers, power and WiFi.
- Allied Media
