In Gear | Rotary in Southern New Zealand Issue 2 | Page 75

One day , while shopping for groceries , I noticed that the meat section , which earlier lay bare , was brimming from one wall to the other . Not believing my good fortune and quickly making note of various meals that I could now make , I made a dash to the cooler shelves only to find that , though it was brimming , there was only one selection ... sausages . No sooner than my visions of three-course meals had materialised , they were dashed by the reality of sausages and beans . Anton , of Hunting and Fishing , used his boat to get produce that was on the other side of the slips , blocking State Highway 1 , to the town , so that a farmers ’ market could be held in an open field adjacent to his store . Fresh tomatoes , radishes , broccoli , cauliflower , asparagus , along with free-range eggs , cheese , and pork were a welcome sight . Even Myra brought soaps from the Lavender Farm , while Mel sold her boutique wine . Earlier , a truck parked at Dolphin Encounter , gave out free yoghurt , hummus , and various spreads .
On Thursday , November 24 , the Catholic Church held a memorial service for Louis Edgar . Because of the family ’ s affiliation with St John , Don Wright , the station manager , requested that the members attend in uniform as a tribute to Louis . I could not help but smile to myself as I gazed at his casket . In respect to his nature as a true South Islander , family members placed his tramping boots and homemade mountaineering pick on top . A fitting tribute .
How the residents of Kaikoura responded during and after the earthquake is also a fitting tribute to their resiliency and sense of community . They reached out not only to each other but also to almost 1000 visitors , tending to needs and making sure that everyone was looked after .
Personally , I cannot tell you how many times I received a visit or a phone call from neighbours , St John , Red Cross , or Civil Defence , just to make sure that I was okay . Meetings were held on a daily basis at Churchill Park , updating residents on the various issues of the day , as well as where to get help . But , in the end , it is really about neighbors looking after each other . In that , Kaikoura excels .
Kaikoura was looking forward to a robust tourist season . Businesses were expanding operations and new restaurants were opening . The Kaikoura earthquake changed everything . I met up with our good friend , Poppy , who informed me that she will be closing Cellar View , one of my favorite restaurants . The Adelphi , the
One thing that I have learned through my life as a Rotarian is , because of the incredible network of Rotary , there is nothing that cannot be accomplished .”
pub where I woke up at 4.30am to see the All Blacks play the Wallabies for the championship , is scheduled to be torn down . Other buildings along the main commercial district might meet the same fate .
I guess that , by now , I should mention that , though I thought that I was going on sabbatical , I never really left Rotary . A very good friend of mine and fellow member of WASRAG , Steve Werner , informed Kiwi Rotarians that I was coming to New Zealand and before I knew it , I was asked to become a charter member of the new Rotary WASH E-club that was formed in Dunedin . As a result , a number of my Rotary friends and colleagues have called offering help . My usual answer to these inquiries has been that we are okay for the short-term . We were lucky . We did not have a large number of casualties , everyone is being looked after , and it is a very resilient community .
All that being said , what is really needed is help for the long-term issues that inevitably will come to pass . How can families get assistance to rebuild homes that were damaged ; how can businesses , especially those that rely heavily on tourism , get back on their feet especially when access between those businesses and the tourists has been severely compromised ? Is there a possibility of funding to assist in the repairs of the water and sanitation system damaged by the quake so that the community can focus on paying off the debt owed for the new medical centre and council building ? These are the pressing issues .
One thing that I have learned through my life as a Rotarian is , because of the incredible network of Rotary , there is nothing that cannot be accomplished . Yes , we are very good at fundraising , but , just as powerful , is our ability to tap into an incredible treasure trove of talent and skill-sets .
Kaikoura is in need of such selfless service .
Quake photos courtesy of Allan Woolley and Ailsa Howard .