Wheels of Hope delivers on promise

Stef Richardson and her dad Colin about to get into her “new” car yesterday, after she was given the keys at DJ Mac Panel & Paint. Helping to make it happen were, from left , Glenda Stokes and Janine McDiarmid (Sunrise Foundation), and business owners Phil and Maria Wilkens. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell

Six months on from Cyclone Gabrielle, a Gisborne family’s spirits have been lifted thanks to the generosity of Phil and Maria Wilkens, owners of panel beaters DJ Mac Panel & Paint.

The idea to recondition and donate a vehicle to a family in need came to Phil and Maria as they talked about how they could help their community devastated by the destruction caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Putting their organisational and repair skills to good use, the couple approached repair partner AA Insurance who donated a written-off vehicle, which the panelbeaters fully recondiioned and restored. Maria and Phil worked with the Sunrise Foundation to design a nomination process for deserving families to share their stories and to assist in selecting the winners, and the “Wheels of Hope” concept was born.

“After purchasing our business last year and moving to Gisborne, seeing the devastation in our new community was heartbreaking. We wanted to use our skills and networks to give back to a local family and we were delighted by the generosity of AA Insurance and the Sunrise Foundation who helped us bring Wheels of Hope to life,” Maria said.

Tolaga Bay’s Steffanie and Shane Miller were selected to receive the vehicle from more than a dozen worthy nominations.

The Millers and their two young daughters lost all their possessions in Cyclone Gabrielle when their house was flooded to shoulder height. They had no insurance cover and the house has been red- stickered.

After recent heavy rain, an 80-year-old tree fell and totalled their car – their last remaining possession.

Yesterday an elated Steffanie, along with father Colin, picked up the keys to the Toyota Aqua.

“The aftermath of the cyclone has been a really tough period for the whole of Tairāwhiti, and we are blown away by the generosity of DJ Mac Panel & Paint, AA Insurance and all the sponsors involved. A new car is going to make a huge difference to our lives. It’s been a hard year.”

The family’s house is a Category 3 listed property and is uninhabitable still. She and her family are now living with her parents on their farm.

AA Insurance head of motor claims, Beau Paparoa, said: “As one of our key suppliers in Gisborne, we were thrilled to be able to support DJ Mac Panel & Paint and this fantastic initiative by sourcing the vehicle with our partners Turners.

“We have also offered the Miller family a 12-month comprehensive motor insurance policy to get them back on their feet and keep their new vehicle safe.”