Timaru to the rescue
A German family riding out the Covid19 lockdown in their van at a Timaru holiday park have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the community after two anonymous couples offered to pay for them to move into a unit.
The Erdorf family – Markus, Katharina and their son Elias, 5, – had been squeezed into their rented van at Timaru’s Top 10 Holiday Park since the lockdown began a week ago. Despite the tight space, they were pleased they had a safe place to hunker down after being turned away from another camp.
But after a story highlighting their situation was published in The Timaru Herald, readers contacted the camp to offer to cover the cost of the family moving into a more comfortable unit with better heating.
‘‘I couldn’t believe it. Katharina started crying and Elias was jumping around. I ask, is it really true?,’’ Markus Erdorf said.
The young family barely had enough space to sit together in the van but were reluctant to spend too much on upgrading in case they ran out of money while stuck in New Zealand.
The unit they have moved into has good heating, two bedrooms, a bathroom, cooking facilities plus a TV, whereas their van had limited cooking facilities only.
‘‘It’s like heaven now. We don’t have to convert seats into a bed and our son can play. It’s great,’’ Erdorf said.
Katharina, who has limited English, said the gestures were ‘‘wonderful’’.
Timaru Top 10 Holiday Park coowner Gordon Collister said two couples had offered to pay for the family to move into the cabin during the lockdown, or for longer if needed. ‘‘I’m impressed with their charity.’’ Given there had been two offers, Collister said he was going to discuss with the couples what to do with the second donation and whether they wanted to offer that to any of the other stranded families.
Although the Erdorf family were unable to meet the anonymous benefactors, Markus said he had spoken to one of the couples on the phone and thanked them.
He said the generous Kiwis told him they had been to Germany twice and people there had been good to them so this was their way of paying that back.
The Erdorfs had planned to travel around the country until May 14.