A Hawkes Bay family hit hard by weather events is coming to Blossy thanks to collaboration between Central Otago District and Hawkes Bay councils and event sponsors. 

Following the Auckland Anniversary weekend floods and Cyclone Gabrielle, Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) initiated the Adopt-a-Community campaign, where more than 30 councils in New Zealand adopted one of the affected areas.  

Efforts were made to raise money for the Mayoral Relief Fund, kids from schools in unaffected areas became pen pals with affected schools, and so forth.

As the instigator of the campaign, Central Otago district mayor Tim Cadogan was always concerned that the sharing of aroha stayed alive, as the difficulties faced by the affected communities would not be short-term.

Central Otago has adopted Central Hawkes Bay, and with a view to showing our adopted community that we are still thinking of them, raising more funds for the relief fund, and giving some deserving people a break, the council has come up with “Bring ‘em to Blossy”.

Central Hawkes Bay mayor Alex Walker identified a family who have been hit hard by the cyclone. 

They are Creedenz Karaitiana, owner of the Porangahau Garage, and his mum Ngaira Walford. 

The garage (pictured) has been shut since the cyclone hit. PHOTO: Supplied 

The garage is slowly being rebuilt and the pressure the disaster has had on Creedenz and the wider family has been profound. 

Air New Zealand has donated airfares to get these two down and back, CODC has secured accommodation, the Blossom Festival has organised a car and tickets, Contact Energy (Principal Sponsor of the Festival) will be matching donations collected at the Festival for the Central Hawkes Bay Mayoral Fund up to $2,000, and Highlands Motorsport Park has a morning of high speed thrills lined up for Credenze and Ngaira.

Creedenz and Ngaira fly into Queenstown on Thursday September 21 and leave on Sunday, They will enjoy everything Central has to offer, including the Mardi Gras evening on Friday September 22 and the grand parade and Saturday in the Park.

The effects of Gabrielle are still being felt every day by the people of the central North Island. 

Meanwhile ‘Bring ‘em to Blossy’ may remind the communities affected that we have not forgotten them, and we still care.