FLOODED WITH HELP GETTInG sTuck In: Gisborne Boys’ High School students at Tokomaru Bay helping with the clean up from flooding last month. Picture supplied On Sunday morning, June 20, a one-hour downpour flooded the township of Tokomaru Bay. Three weeks on, life is almost back to normal thanks to a massive volunteer clean-up effort. Sophie Rishworth reports. rom Ruatoria down to Tokomaru home, the homes of four whanau are Neighbours checked on each other, and central Government turned up, as did Bay between 7am and 8am, rain uninhabitable. tamariki helped clean the beaches, rangatahi some big brands and their donations. gauges recorded peaks of 55.5mm Flood waters also washed through home for the university holidays pitched in The real practical things were the biggest Fthat Sunday morning. Te Puia classrooms at Hatea-a-Rangi School. and elders made cups of tea. help, said Lillian. Springs measured 60mm of rain that same Help came from all directions. Nannies and Te Runanga o Ngati Porou “Our community was blessed to receive a hour. That first day more than 170 volunteers staff cooked meals for the many volunteers. delivery of clean-up items from the awesome By 8.30 around 20 families had self- turned up. They gathered at the Tokomaru Within 10 days post-flood, the road team at Bunnings Gisborne to the value of evacuated, some still in their pyjamas, Bay Sports Club Rooms before being sent out networks were all back open thanks to the $3000 and a credit of $5000 to purchase as rivers rose and water lapped at their in teams to clean up. Gisborne District Council’s Journeys team further items as needed. The Bunnings Boys doorways, or worse, came inside. The response was second to none, said Te and roading contractors. brought tears to our eyes. We so appreciate Just two hours later the water started to Whanau o Ruataupare me Te Ao Tawarirangi Despite the devastation, the community this practical koha.” recede. But in its wake the intense rain had hapu member Lillian Ward. remained optimistic and thankful there was The items will be kept in a central location flooded Tokomaru Bay township and left silt “We worked together in true partnership no loss of life, said Lillian. so whanau and hapu have access to the items up to a metre deep. with the community to address issues that Vanloads of students were driven up from While most residents were able to return were of most concern.” Gisborne to get stuck into the mahi, local Continued on page 2 Franchise Business For Sale “With a Just Cabins franchise, you can enjoy a fl exible lifestyle with a business that earns money while you sleep.” Highly profi table franchise business for sale in the Gisborne/East Cape. Our award-winning franchise system will give you the benefi t of recurring income and the lifestyle to suit. Get in touch today Ross Churchouse, Sales Manager 021 273 0563 [email protected] 40551-01 SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2021 2 LEAD FOOTBRIDGE: Some things from the June downpour will take longer to put right, like the Tokomaru Bay footbridge. Once the council’s Journeys team and roading contractors have made sure access is secure to roads and properties, this will be looked at. Drone shot supplied by Murry Cave when needed. Lillian. from around the Hatea-a-Rangi valuable for families. Lillian made special mention e Ministry of Business, school pool, said Wi. “ e Civil Defence and council Plea for assistance of East Coast MP Kiritapu Allan, Innovation and Employment’s Trish said the students were presence in Tokomaru ended Mayor Rehette Stoltz, Gisborne Temporary Accommodation all aware of how much they were last Friday evening with a district councillors Bill Burdett and Service (TAS) was activated contributing. shared hakari. is was a great ere is still work to be done Pat Seymour, Civil Defence and following the fl ooding in “ ey just got in there and opportunity to conduct our fi nal with a plea for assistance in the emergency manager Ben Green Tokomaru Bay to help the four did it. ey didn’t question it or briefi ng and celebrate the collective following areas: and all his team. families who were unable to return anything.” eff orts through the sharing of She thanked all the staff and to their homes. An invitation came from the kai.” • Local road companies with contractors of council and the GGHS te reo Maori teacher Trish principal and whanau of Kimiora Lillian also wanted to mention diggers and a truck to remove government agencies “for their Tangaroa took a took a carload of Primary School in Flaxmere Recreational Services – Gisborne, silt, mangled fencing and debris intervention and ongoing support students up to help her hometown Hastings for teh 29 students at who donated two wheelbarrows, from fi ve properties off ered to those most aff ected”. with the clean up. Hatea-a-Rangi School, now a which were deployed to Anaura • Volunteer time to remove Residents in Arthur Street were ey were joined by GBHS construction zone, to learn with Bay to assist with their clean-up. all soft fall sand and bark hit badly, with one losing two teacher Wi Matahiki who took them for a few days. She thanked Tokomaru Bay’s from Hatea-a-Rangi School caravans and her container house around 20 students to contribute Last week 26 of the students, Rob Farmer and his digger, and playground equipment. “If there to the Waiotu Stream. to the mahi. accompanied by whanau and staff , Bush Destounis for his truck and is a playground fairy out there Last week some of the properties ey wasted no time getting went down for three days. tractor. the school would love a new on Arthur Street had silt removed, to work, clearing silt from the Lillian said the trip was funded e gumboots donated by playground,” said Lillian. and sewage systems emptied, said footpaths, and clearing the mud by the board of trustees and Farmlands and PG Wrightson had • Donations of fencing materials donations from schools, past also been hugely helpful, she said. — all fence lines along Waiotu students and their “wonderful Other volunteer groups included Stream were destroyed. BIG THANK YOU: Te Whanau o Ruataupare me Te Ao Tokomaru Bay community”. Turanga Tane, Uawa Tauira, and • Local landscapers — to donate Tawarirangi hapu member Lillian Ward said the response e Ministry of Education sent Whaia Titirangi Roopu. time in advising residents along after the fl ash fl ood on June 20 in Tokomaru Bay was Arthur Street on how to restore “second to none”. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell a project manager who has been “ ank you Tokomaru Bay “Johnny on the spot” in Tokomaru United Sports Club members for their grounds. Bay since last Monday, she said. allowing us to use it as a base.” • If anyone has one to donate Lillian also thanked Tuatini Contractors to thank included a second-hand caravan or a Marae for supporting Hatea-a- Chaff ey Contractors, Fulton Hogan relocatable bach for one resident Rangi School to relocate there until and Downers. who lost two caravans to the the school is operational again. Lillian said she was also grateful fl oods Others Lillian wanted to thank for social media. • A rental property in Tokomaru included Jack Chambers and his “ is was the only way I could for 3-6 months to house a wife Waitangi. ey self-evacuated reach out to communities to whanau of fi ve displaced due to from their home on Te Wehi Road identify other whanau throughout the fl ood damage to their rental but were able to return two hours the East Coast and deploy/ property. later when the water had receded. coordinate support. • Household donations for one “Mihi nui to our kaumatua Papa “Many thanks to those who uninhabitable home that did not Jack Haki Chambers,” said Lilian. made contact. have contents insurance for a “Your cultural support to ensure “We were very overcome by whanau of 2 adults. we are all safe in what we do was the volunteers who arrived daily appreciated and needed e te Papa. from near and far and the koha Lillian said aff ected residents were “As a hapu/community member received, like kai and vouchers, to waiting on feedback from their of Tokomaru Bay I am proud of the support our aff ected whanau and insurance companies for their collective eff orts of whanau from volunteers. homes and contents, and EQC for near and far who came to assist. “ ank you Te Runanga o Ngati the clean-up of silt under homes. “ is week agencies have Porou, Tokomaru Bay Four Square, “Unfortunately EQC will only continued to check in on those Te Araroa Four Square, Tuakau remove silt under the home that is most aff ected by off ering practical Station, SuperGrans, Ani Pahuru- 15mm or more and this spans to support and the input from Huriwai and the awesome REAP 8 square metres from the house. the consumer representative of team and of course our locals for We know that the silt and debris the Insurance Council has been their koha kai.” extends further than that.” SATURdAy, JULy 10, 2021 3 PROFILE COSTA RICA ‘It’s grown to be my second home’ Her friends have caught Covid-19. She’s spent over a month alone in hotel isolation and has relaxed on the beaches with monkeys. Iguanas hang about her high school. It’s fair to say Haylee Law has experienced the global pandemic slightly differently from most New Zealanders.