‘You guys rock’ says Mike King
A Timaru man’s project to build a two-bedroom, 60-square metre home in 60 hours for charity is quickly ahead of schedule.
James South started the project at 6am yesterday to construct the tiny home and auction it off on Monday morning to raise funds for the mental health charity I Am Hope.
The charity’s founder, mental health advocate Mike King, has joined him for the weekend.
‘‘Timaru, you guys rock,’’ King said, adding the support from the community and the project was ‘‘incredible’’.
‘‘James pulled this together for the weekend, and it’s nothing short of incredible.
‘‘People have turned up to watch the build and there’s huge awareness for mental health in Timaru. Kids to older people and everyone inbetween are here. Its very humbling.’’
King said if the rest of the country followed Timaru’s lead in supporting mental health ‘‘we could halve mental health issues in no time at all’’.
‘‘It takes a community to heal people.’’
South said yesterday afternoon they were four hours ahead of schedule, and ‘‘we’re looking like we’ll be finished earlier than planned’’.
‘‘So far the frames have gone up, the roof is done, and we’re starting the cladding.’’
About 50 people of all ages, including the volunteers helping South, were at the construction site, at Ara-Te Pū kenga’s Timaru campus on the corner of North and Theodosia (State Highway 1) streets.
‘‘We have nearly sold all the T-shirts and raffles.’’
South called on and encouraged the Timaru and wider South Canterbury community to visit the site and support the cause.
South, a builder with Lone Pine Building, said his own experiences with depression and mental health had prompted the fundraiser.
‘‘I battled through my teenage years with depression and anxiety and more real help is needed.
‘‘I woke up one day and said to my girlfriend ‘I want to do something to help’.’’
A builder for six years, he called upon his skills to get the project going, and said the weekend’s task was ‘‘daunting, but exciting.’’
He said by the end of yesterday, the plumbers and electricians would have completed their work and a total of 40 volunteers are expected to help him through the weekend to finish the project.
Some activities at the building site included colouring-in for the children and a ‘‘guess how many screws are in the jar’’ game.
Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen was among those present offering support.
‘‘It’s great to see someone’s idea make a difference. It’s an inspiration for others,’’ Bowen said. ‘‘It shows that one person can make a difference.’’
South hopes to raise more than $100,000 from the project and while he would build solidly for the first 24 hours, he had a group of volunteers doing shifts over the 60 hours.