Easter packs for Edgecumbe

Beth Knight and Kat Storey sorting and packing. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

A playcentre helping a playcentre is how it started.

Beth Knight, a member of Greenpark Playcentre decided to help out some Edgecumbe Playcentre families with packs of clothing and toiletries, topped off with a toy and an Easter egg.

'I started this as a small thing to help out some playcentre families down there,” says Beth.

'But it's grown awesomely big.”

Greenpark Playcentre is located on the Greenpark School grounds, so when they put a poster up about the plan, the school came on board too.

'I really didn't expect to see it get this big,” says Beth. 'I was going down there anyway to take some stuff and thought let's put together some bits. And it went nuts.”

'We're packaging it all together in sizes and trying to get whole outfits together so at the other end they can just give them out without having to sort them. I was there in the last flood and trying to sort things and then distribute, it was just ridiculously hard.”

Depending on the weather, Beth is aiming to deliver the packs on Thursday to Whakatane to be distributed to Edgecumbe families.

'We're wanting to include Easter eggs as something special,” says Beth.

'We are putting in to each pack full changes of clothes sorted out into sizes. So they are labelled boy or girl and male or female, plus the size of the clothing. Mums and dads too. We are trying to do a full set with underwear and sock packs included.

'We're running low on packs of underwear and socks, so if anyone can donate more we'll take them.”

The support has been overwhelming but Beth wants to make it clear that the Playcentre team cannot process any more clothing.

'If people want to donate we'll still collect toiletries, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, tampons, tissues, underwear and sock packs, and towels.”

There is a box outside the Playcentre to collect Easter Eggs and toiletries.

Baking happily received

A lovely surprise was received in Whakatane when boxes of baking arrived from Omokoroa residents.

Lynda Wylie, a teacher at Thornton School, expressed appreciation on the Kia Kaha Edgecumbe Facebook page.

Children enjoying morning tea at the Whakatane Memorial Hall. Supplied photo.

'To the lovely people of Omokoroa,” writes Lynda. 'Some of your baking has been enjoyed by children who have been part of a programme for children who have been affected in some way by the flooding, run by Thornton School teachers.”

Kelvin and Robyn Whalley coordinated baking from the Omokoroa peninsula on the weekend. (story http://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/151501-something-sweet-to-keep-spirits-up.html) It was shipped to Whakatane on Monday through Omokoroa General Carriers, where Kelvin works.

'Baking was also distributed to those in need as well as front line staff,” says Lynda.

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