Dear friends
During the initial period of upheaval as people made adjustments to the changes in their lives the strength of the human spirit and the willingness of people to respond to needs immediately with shelter, comfort, health care and food has been inspirational. I do not think anyone has got used to the larger aftershocks but we have quickly adjusted to the increase in smiles and hugs, texts and emails as we check on friends and share the difficulties being faced.
As the second phase begins with the release of geotechnical information and calls being made to property owners with the most serious land damage our thoughts are with everyone involved in making decisions about their homes, their businesses and the future of their families.
Many wonderful messages of support and encouragement from Rotarians and friends in New Zealand and around the world have made a huge difference to our morale. Often these include generous contributions to the Rotary Canterbury Earthquake Fund which has been established to assist people to realign their lives so that they can return to normality. Now the intial shocks are over, and many of the physical effects of the quake are being dealt with we plan to assist those most severely affected in more personal ways.
A Rotary Grants Committee chaired by Reverend John Elvidge is being established with a draft description for the fund stating:
‘All funds will be expended on personal relief for those affected by the 4 September Earthquake. An expert panel will assess applications for assistance and make financial grants to assist with more personal adjustments required, things like the cost of relocation and additional travel, replacement of effects in homes, school uniforms, personal effects. It may also include the costs of returning businesses to normal, things like re equipping the staffroom and replacing fittings and furniture. Costs to return homes and businesses to comfort and normality over and above insurance payouts will be considered. Priority will be given to those who have suffered hardship because of the earthquake, and the fund expects to be approached by families with children at home and older people on their own.’
Alongside this Fund are the many practical offers that have been received and increasingly are being recorded in the Canterbury Earthquake Response Survey (DG H.Tong & PDG R.Skinner) which will provide opportunities e.g. for holidays and for care.
Brian Spence president of the Kaiapoi Rotary Club and a structural engineer who has been working phenomenal hours for his community explained :
‘I, and our club (Kaiapoi) are heartened by the moral support offered by Rotary, and also the likelihood of longer term assistance ----- it is a little akin to a bereavement : that is, later and ongoing support, if only moral, is likely to be of much greater benefit to the affected community.
We are truly re-building our community and bridging continents as we continue ‘to look after others and look after ourselves in the days and weeks ahead.’
Very best wishes for the future
Margaret and Brian Reeve
Governor District 9970
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