Centre staff celebrate decade of donations
Praise for community as medical site’s collection box starts filling up with items
The Ngongotaha¯ Medical Centre has, for the 10th time, set up a festive-looking box ready to hold all of the community’s generous Christmas appeal donations.
The Rotorua Daily Post Christmas Appeal, in combination with the Rotorua Weekender and The Hits Rotorua 97.5FM, is now well under way and working to raise food and money for the Rotorua Salvation Army Foodbank.
Until December 23, the Daily Post appeal aims to help the Salvation Army continue its work through the Christmas period and into 2023.
Christine Hands, Ngongotaha¯ Medical Centre medical administrator, said this was the centre’s 10th year of supporting the appeal.
She said there were always people worse off than yourself, and that this year was especially tough with skyrocketing grocery prices and people still bouncing back from Covid.
Hands said each year the centre’s call for donations had a great response from the Ngongotaha¯ community.
People had come to know about and expect the box for donations, she said. “One year I was a bit late, and someone said, ‘Aren’t you putting a box out?’.”
Hands said people donated all sorts of food items.
Some already in the box included soup, olives, tinned foods, pasta, chai tea, noodles and Christmas pudding.
Usually, about a week before Christmas she would call the Salvation Army to come to collect the many food and present donations, which they were always grateful for, Hands said.
She said at this time of year the centre supported the local Salvation Army foodbank and Women’s Refuge because they were both awesome.
“They are out there helping everyone all through the year.
“A big thanks to all our patients, staff and people in the community for
their help and support over the years and in advance for this year.”
Last year’s appeal donations reached a total value of $65,792.10.
The value was an almost even split of goods and money.
After its roaring success last year, another Fill the Bus event will take place on Wednesday, December 7.
The bus will travel around the city so locals can fill it with canned and non-perishable goods.
The schedule is yet to be confirmed — keep an eye on The Hits Rotorua and Rotorua Daily Post web pages for the full itinerary.
Last year, the community donated 6597 cans and food items valued at $13,194 through the Fill the Bus campaign.