Pilot Katie Edwards and Mayor Rehette Stoltz at the Super Heroes Awards which recognised people and organisations who went above and beyond in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.Picture by Katie Green/RNZ
The War Memorial Theatre provided a grand backdrop for Thursday night’s Tairāwhiti SuperHero Awards, which honoured everyday people who did extraordinary things in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle last year.
Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz said as the region reflected one year on from the devastation left in Gabrielle’s wake, it was important to show Tairāwhiti some aroha and give thanks to amazing people in the community who supported other whānau in need and to get through in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.
She described the stories of outstanding acts and contributions shared with the crowd as heartwarming and heartbreaking.
“This time last year everything that could be broken was broken. But we know how to look after each other in this region.
“If you visited someone, picked up some medicine or looked after a neighbour’s dog — these are all things that touch people’s lives, and every little check-in made a huge difference.”
Close to 300 people came together to acknowledge around 150 people called to the stage to receive an award and gift.
“We’re a close community and through adversity, we’ve shown time and again how we come together,” Mayor Stoltz said.
“Let’s not think of this as a celebration but as an acknowledgment for everything we did as a community.”
Most of those nominated shared with her that they didn’t feel worthy of any award.
“I want to say to everyone that you are so worthy; you touched so many lives. Thank you so much for looking after our community.”
Those who were acknowledged included a teacher who created a pop-up school in her garage, and electricity workers who hiked across rivers with gear on their backs to connect the region.
Some opened their homes for people who had lost theirs and many made the meals that fed displaced families and staff who worked long hours.
The evening provided plenty of laughs from MCs and Turanga FM presenters Rāhia Timutimu and Matai Smith.
There were tears, too, as many of those who were nominated for awards had had their own homes impacted as well.
Tairāwhiti duo Samantha Grace and Hadow Reid provided a musical interlude at the midpoint of the ceremony.
They sang the song Chosen written by Tewhaiororangihuia Webster of Te Karaka and finished with a great rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s I Need a Hero.
Fergusson Drive residents: During a distressing time, everyone chipped in and helped each other with the clean-up.
FirstLight Network, formally Eastland Network: Nominated by their former general manager, the team were responsible for restoration of power to the entire region, “having only just finished restoration following the last storm and had in the past 18 months had to deal with seven other events”.
Gisborne Boys’ High School: Many of the students got out into the community, helping to clean up silt and damaged properties.
Gisborne Canoe and Tramping Club: Gillian Ward cycled to check on club members most likely affected by the storm, and then organised working bees to dig silt from affected properties. One nominator wrote: “She continues checking us out almost a year on.”
Gisborne East Coast Multiple Sclerosis Society: Judy Livingston and Karen Whitehead checked on members and the organisation provided generators, food and petrol vouchers and counselling.
Gisborne Fire Brigade: Helped people 24/7 in unbearable weather and all types of dangers. “They were over-run but never gave in,” their nominator wrote.
Gisborne Host Lions Club and Wainui Lions Club: The clubs joined together to support the community, providing clothing, blankets, sheets and baby clothes, generators, appliances and manual labour tools across the region. The nominator says this continues a year on.
House of Breakthrough church: The church operated as an evacuation centre, with volunteers who supported evacuated whānau and according to their nominator, went “over and above the call of duty”.
LeaderBrand: With communications down, general manager Richard Burke reached out via satellite phone to tell the out-of-region leadership teams of a neighbouring business their staff were safe, and provided clean water by lending out their filtration system.
Manaaki Matakaoa: Sheena Luke worked tirelessly to bring radios, active network SIM cards and Starlinks, food, generators and petrol. Now, as the organisation’s poutoko, her team does Healthy Home checks, property maintenance and rubbish pickups.
Mangatū Marae: Supported Civil Defence during the storm, allowing coordinator Sally Cale to use the marae as a hub, as well as to house and feed displaced people. In her nomination, Cale wrote: “I do recommend their fried bread with jam.”
Tairāwhiti Multicultural Council: Helped more than 150 families with food and medicine, found accommodation for three families, including two where women and children were at risk of harm, and supplied water pumps to help with the clean-up.
Three Rivers Medical: The practice stayed open every day, saying they were the only practice to do so. Many of the team lost everything, but put patients and whanau first and turned up to work every day.
Waikohu Civil Defence: Nicky-Marie Kohere-Smiler’s use of social media to keep the community informed was “invaluable”, her nominator wrote. “Her concise and clear information, in a highly stressful environment, was vital to the clean-up, the volunteer effort and the community as a whole.”
Individuals
John Allison; Lucy Bond; Dr Sarah Callaghan; Linda Coulston; Teatarangi Dever; Lisa Dixon; Katie Edwards; Colby Eparaima; Sandy Farr; Mary Fisher; Hoana Forrester; Laine Higham; Anna Holdsworth; Andrew Hunter; Lizzie Hyland; Collin Ingram; Neal Ingram; Tony Kendrew; Karen Celia Knubley; Diana Kopua; Mark Kopua; Corey Luke; Krissy McIntosh; Alex McLatchie; Kylie Morrissey; Dan Neilson; Sally Officer; Toby Pickering; Lynn Pollitt; Pastor Lance Rickard; Kay Robin; Gaye Smith; Tony Smith; Dorothy Taare-Smith; Michelle Wanoa; Christopher Williams