Truckies tuck into Ka¯piti hospitality
Truck drivers stuck in a major log jam on State Highway 1 have been able to enjoy some Ka¯piti Coast homegrown hospitality.
The Pukerua Bay community has opened its heart and its fridges, dishing up food for hungry motorists stuck since 3.45am yesterday after a truck crash closed the main route all day.
With the highway between Paeka¯ka¯riki and Plimmerton inaccessible as Fire and Emergency workers mopped up the debris, drivers turned off their engines and filled up their tummies instead.
Pukerua Bay’s local dairy parking space was transformed into a hub with music, where the drivers could rest, use the toilet and feast on a barbecue pulled together by the residents.
Local couple Damien and Iesha Stairmand have put in big hours in support, being on hand from 6am to cater for the drivers. Iesha started by serving up cups of hot tea and coffee for them, but once it became clear the road would be closed for hours, they decided a barbecue was in order.
The couple also posted on Facebook, asking locals for donations of food. By day’s end, they had received more than 120 replies and had a table full of food to boot.
‘‘It’s amazing. One of the drivers told me he worked for 30 years on the roads, but never felt so embraced as today by the Pukerua Bay community.
‘‘The drivers wanted to pay us back, but it’s not about that. We are doing our part,’’ Iesha said.
A little container was placed on the table and all the money collected was used to buy more supplies. The Salvation Army also provided food, coffee, and a Portaloo for the truck drivers.