Christmas hero dies on the day
For the 270 guests it was a community lunch but for the organisers it was tinged with sadness.
Willie Taurima did not like a fuss but the man who started the annual Porirua community Christmas Day lunch seven years ago would have been delighted with all the people sharing a meal together.
Ill health had kept him away from the event in recent years, and this year he died in the early hours of Christmas Day.
Later that day, an emotional Helen Brookes, who now organises the lunch, said Taurima would have been pleased to see 270 people being fed and having a good time.
The lunch is a community affair with all the food and presents donated and 90 volunteers helping out.
Those spoken to said they liked the family atmosphere and chance to meet people.
Brookes said the idea for the lunch came when she was sitting at work with Taurima at the Porirua City Council.
‘‘He said, ‘I really want to do something on Christmas Day for people who do not have anywhere to go’.’’
Porirua had been lucky to have someone like Taurima, who started a lot of community events, including CreekFest, she said.
The food at the first lunch was mostly bacon and egg, and sausages but in the years since, the community had really supported it.
A Mormon, Taurima loved basketball and was involved in setting up the New Zealand Ma¯ ori Basketball Association.
‘‘He was a bit of a basketball legend, everyone who played basketball knew Willie.’’
Dave Redmanye, who works with Brookes at the council, said she deserved lot of credit for putting it all together.
‘‘It is just a good occasion, it is nice to be able to give something back to the community.’’
The donated food included 30 chocolate cakes, 10 pavlovas and a mountain of ham.
First time volunteer Kasey Burns entertained those queuing for food by dancing and singing along to Christmas carols.
‘‘It is good to give some time back to the community and make other people feel special . . . I enjoy seeing the children smile and I feel like I am making a difference.’’
It was fitting that the lunch was held in the Te Rauparaha Arena because Taurima was involved in the design and was a past manager.
After feeding 270 people and 90 volunteers, Brookes spent the rest of Christmas Day delivering meals.
She was already thinking about next year. ‘‘I literally put the word out in the beginning of December and I just say, let’s just do this.’’