Mrs Scanlan-Dyas, a lawyer and partner at Hogan Lovells, one of the top 10 global law firms, used her contacts with professional New Zealanders living and working in Japan to form a committee to organise a charity auction. She was in close communication with Supergrans Tairāwhiti who were among first and ongoing responders to the community of Tairāwhiti in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.
SupergGrans were selected, as a trusted registered charity organisation, to be the beneficiary of the fundraising efforts to distribute to those in need in the Tairāwhiti region.
Mrs Scanlan-Dyas, along with husband Nic, daughter Dani and Ryo Hayakawa (one of the committee members of the fundraiser), visited Gisborne in May 2023 to present SupergGrans with a cheque for $68,700 towards flood relief raised at the Tōkyō event.
They were joined by New Zealand’s previous ambassador to Japan and current chairman of the Japan New Zealand Business Council, Ian Kennedy. Their visit included a tour of some of the worst-hit areas to see firsthand the reality of the cyclone’s impact.
Just over a month short of the anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle, Jenifer Rogers and her invited friend, Vicki Beyer, another American lawyer now living in South-East Queensland, Australia, arrived at Gisborne Airport to begin their “Tairāwhiti Experience”. There to meet them on January 4 were SuperGrans chair Molly Pardoe and operations coordinator Bronwyn Ngatai-Hawtin.
They took them to the SuperGrans headquarters in Pitt Street for lunch and to meet the team and learn more about the role the organisation plays in the community.
A vehicle, compliments of SuperGrans, was provided for the friends to get around in during their visit to various sights, experiences and destinations.
During their short stay, Jenifer and Vicki engaged in a wide variety of activities that had been donated by local businesses, including a spa float, a rail-bike adventure, glamping and sunrise at Tatapouri Bay and stingray feeding at Dive Tatapouri.
They also enjoyed expansive beach walks, hiking to Cooks Cove at Tolaga Bay, visiting Te Araroa, Eastwoodhill Arboretum, Rere Falls and the iconic Rere Rockslide.
They visited the Gisborne Wine Centre and spent a night among the vineyards at Matawhero Winery, learning that “Gisborne makes excellent wines”. They also found “good beer” at the Sunshine Brewery. They experienced warm New Zealand hospitality during a “fantastic” farmstay with a SuperGrans board member.
“Rounding up sheep and cattle, and feeding chickens were especially unique experiences,” said Jenifer. The travellers were also impressed with the excellent food on offer during their stay.
“We tried to see as much of the town of Gisborne and the surrounding region as we could. We saw such lovely scenery, but could also see signs of storm damage, including washouts and land slips. We were encouraged by clear signs of recovery, such as roads being repaired to be passable even if not completely resealed in places,” said Jenifer.
“We thank you Gisborne, the team at SuperGrans and everyone who provided the accommodation, meals and activities that contributed to our wonderful time.
“Gisborne is a wonderful (and resilient) community and we wish you all the very best. We head for home happy Gizzy girls, now fans of Gisborne.”
