Students swap text books for shovels
Wellington’s students have ditched their text books and picked up shovels to help out the region’s flood victims.
In the hours after Thursday’s torrential downpour, a Wellington Student Volunteer Army page was set up on Facebook, quickly attracting more than 100 members.
A small number were out and about in Porirua over the weekend, shovelling mud that had washed down from the hills and blanketed a number of properties in Rangituhi Crescent.
Victoria University Students’ Association president and student army organiser, Rick Zwaan, said it was pleasing to see students giving up their time, especially with mid-year assignments due and exams just around the corner.
‘‘I must say, it was nice to get out from behind the laptop and do some practical work,’’ he said.
‘‘We had a good group of people who were really excited about the work they were doing.’’
Zwaan said the student army had visited most parts of the region and found flood damage had mainly affected roads and public infrastructure rather than people’s homes.
But there were pockets of some communities, like Rangituhi Crescent, that had been covered in mud and debris, which would have taken days for the home owners to remove without a bit of help.
‘‘It was definitely noticeable that the flood waters had come through with force in some areas,’’ Zwaan said.
‘‘One of the ladies that we helped out loved her lawn and was really pleased to get it back.’’
Even though only a small number of students were needed on clean-up duty, he said many had put their hands up on Thursday to house those stranded in Wellington because of the flooding.