EQC Workers Pitch In
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COMPUTERS, SERVICE NOTEBOOKS, SUPPORT APPLE PRODUCTS NOW AT 407 Sloane Street, Te Awamutu Ph: 07 871 3837 Fax: 07 871 3807 8002948AA E-mail: [email protected] Published Tuesday and Thursday THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2011 Circulated FREE to all households throughout Te Awamutu and surrounding districts. Extra copies 40c. BRIEFLY EQC workers pitch in Wide ranging quake support Many local groups, ‘‘I was sitting at an intersection and thought I’d been rear-ended’’ organisations and schools are continuing to provide vital funds for the Christchurch earthquake appeal. Te Awamutu Golf Club members donated $850 through a raffle and scramble winnings and Te Awamutu Intermediate students and staff raised over $700 through a coin trail at school. A shared lunch was held on Tuesday at Waipa District Council, with staff members observing the two minutes’ silence as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives and raising $1049 towards the appeal. Freeman Court and Korakonui Schools will be staging fundraisers today, while tomorrow Baby Bears children will be dressing in red and black to support the cause. The Redoubt is staging a St Patrick’s Day breakfast on March 17 with all proceeds going to the earthquake appeal. Contact the bar for more details. Golfers tee off for centenary A celebration to mark Te Awamutu Golf Club’s TC030311SP01 Centenary will be held at WORKERS contracted to EQC following September’s Christchurch earthquake, from left: James Cohen (Brisbane), Mark Croft (Christchurch), Easter weekend. Roger Ramsey (Te Awamutu) and Jason Van Lierop (Cromwell), spent the days after the earthquake demolishing chimneys and fixing roofs. The format will include a mix and mingle on Friday, April 22 BY DEAN TAYLOR and went into a nearby Chinese Mr Ramsey says there were 480 Brendon Sylvia, Kerry Davis, Toby and an ambrose tournament takeaway where the front wall had staff, working six 10 hour days per Meredith, Steve Raven, Peter Sulli- and dinner on Saturday, April Te Awamutu builder Roger fallen out, and helped everyone out week for three weeks, with a van, Jarrod Davies and Craig Reid. Ramsey is one of hundreds of to safety. rostered week off to visit home, to All EQC staff were accounted 23. qualified workers contracted to They gathered people onto an get the job done. for following the quake, with just Members, past and present, EQC after September’s earthquake open area of park, and then the A number of the loss adjustors one minor injury reported. are urged to register for this to experience last week’s quake first water started rising. are former military or Police, from EQC stood down their staff in significant milestone with forms hand. Mr Ramsey says it was obviously both New Zealand and Australia. the interim to free any available available at the club, or by Mr Ramsey has been working as from burst pipes and it was coming Mr Ramsey says part of their job accommodation for the rescue phoning 871 5661 or emailing a building assessor and was on his up fast so they took everyone to a is to liaise with the public. workers. [email protected]. way to an appointment when the piece of higher ground. ‘‘It can be very stressful and Mr Ramsey stayed at a huge quake struck. Within five minutes the road their training in such situations is colleague’s home and, alongside Lions clean He and his off-sider were stopped was congested with traffic and had appreciated,’’ says Mr Ramsey. other EQC staff, made himself at an intersection and at first he come to a standstill. He says over 100,000 assessments useful demolishing damaged out lairs thought he had been rear-ended — Mr Ramsey says they spent a had been completed — now they chimneys and fixing roofs. Rosetown Lions are holding until he realised the car was being couple of hours bringing people would be starting again in many He says everyone was doing a garage sale on Saturday, thrown side-to-side. together and offering comfort. instances. what they could in a difficult March 12. ‘‘I was watching the light stand- Elsewhere another close col- Staff were put up in hotels, situation. Donations of saleable items ard beside me swaying through league was involved in a rescue, but which are now inside the cordon. ‘‘We were lucky — at least we in good working order will be about a four metre arc, thinking if it too late. The lady had died. Mr Ramsey and employees had power where I was staying, but gratefully accepted. came down on us there was nothing After September EQC had Antony Wainwright and Ueli we had no water or sewerage.’’ Contact Janet (871 5898) or we could do,’’ he says. 175,000 claims to be inspected. Buchmann came home on Sunday And like many other New Zea- Ces (871 2707) for further When the shaking stopped he Qualified Kiwi builders, such as without any of the gear — all still in landers, watching the TV footage details. drove to the middle of the intersec- Mr Ramsey, were employed to work their rooms. was like watching overseas news tion and the pair helped a panic alongside a loss adjustor to carry To his knowledge, other Te Awa- — except in their case it was just a stricken elderly lady from her car out the assessments. mutu builders working for EQC are few kilometres down the road. PAYMENT Power Farming is celebrating the holiday season You will warm to This contemporary this year by offering a free ‘payment’ holiday until looking wood burning October 2011 on selected new tractors & machinery** fi rebox has been our ‘clean air’ fi res designed to maximise heat output while Magnum P100 meeting today’s HERE’S THE DEAL For a small size home ‘clean air’ regulations 8003096AA 1. Pay 1/3 deposit on a new 4. Then choose to pay the remainder over either: GREAT VALUE FIRE ONLY tractor from Power Farming • 12 monthly payments at 1.95% (total term 22 months) $1299 2. Pay all the GST on signing • 24 monthly payments at 2.95% (total term 34 months) 3. Pay nothing further • 36 monthly payments at 3.95% (total term 46 months) Talk to us today ‘til October 2011 • 48 monthly payments at 4.95% (total term 58 months) THE BIGGEST UNBEATABLE FINANCE DEALS from Little Heating Shop In Town This deal is only available until 31.03.11. *Normal lending criteria apply. **Conditions apply 07 870 5020 0800 772887 8003052AA 100ROCHEST,TEAWAMUTU100 ROCHE ST, TE AWAMUTU Benson Road, Te Awamutu • 870 2411 • www.powerfarming.co.nz Open Saturday 9am-12noon www.pratts.co.nz 2 TE AWAMUTU COURIER, THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2011 Help for Christchurch people here In the aftermath of the agencies, such as Work and quake). help, has been overwhelming. Christchurch earthquake, Income and giving access to ‘‘Please contact us if you From donations of practical families are arriving in Te information as well as finding need any kind of help or items, donating money and Awamutu area and may need other community agencies support. 871 4111 or 0800 367 even offers of accommodation. help in finding their way. and groups. Our team is happy 222. Alternatively come in and ‘‘At a local level we are Kainga Aroha Community to welcome you with a cuppa, see us at 2/213 Alexandra working with Renee from Te House is working in conjunc- lend a sympathetic ear, and Street, in the United Arcade,’’ Awamutu Club and Kainga tion with Te Awamutu CAB to help you in any way we can. says local office manager Aroha to ensure that people make sure that anyone who ‘‘If you are from Christ- Elaine Fox. from Christchurch who have comes from Christchurch and church or are hosting a person “At Citizens Advice Bureau moved to our area can come to HOT needs help is taken care of. or family from Christchurch Te Awamutu we currently us and receive a one stop shop ■ Everyone supporting people in ‘‘Kainga Aroha is a com- and need support please give have 24 volunteers. On any help they need quickly. ‘‘We munity house open for people us a call on 871 6506. If we are given day, a volunteer work- ask that anyone wanting to Christchurch with their time, efforts of all ages and backgrounds unable to help with your ing their shift might be donate practical items which and funds where we offer hospitality and immediate problem we may be approached about any poten- are in good condition to keep are able to provide under- able to point you in the right tial question under the sun – taking them to Renee at the TA ■ Friendly Te Awamutu residents who standing and confidential sup- direction.’’ requests for directions, to Club. The local Foodbank is in port in the areas of Citizens Advice Bureau has somebody who need help at short supply and it would be offered shelter to census workers when counselling, individual and been working with Civil Work and Income or needs great to see the shelves being the rain came down family support, budgeting and Defence, both nationally and counselling to someone restocked. All food donations children’s programmes,’’ says at a local level, in collating all needing documents signed by can be handed in to Kainga spokesperson and counsellor, the relevant local numbers to aJP. Aroha or the CAB.’’ ■ Local banks that accept cheques Michelle Peterson. pass on to the public. This ‘‘Since the earthquake last Citizens Advice Bureaux in foreign currency without charge for ‘‘We can also provide an information can be accessed week the amount of enquires are independent, confidential, initial contact and a friendly via the website we have had from the com- no query is too big or too small donating to the earthquake appeal face to help in dealing with www.cab.org.nz (search earth- munity asking how they can — and their advice is free.