Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua's Fill the Bus bigger and better than ever before

David Beck
By David Beck
Multimedia sports journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
7 Dec, 2017 08:25 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The Christmas spirit is well and truly alive in Rotorua.

The boxes of food and toys have been counted and, with 5357 food items and 1126 toys donated, the 2017 Fill the Bus was officially the most successful yet. Last year the food items donated tallied 4298.

The 12-hour food drive on Wednesday, which is in its third year, made 25 stops across Rotorua before being unloaded and counted at the Salvation Army.

Read more: Fill the bus for Salvation Army appeal an 'overwhelming success'
Rotorua Daily Post Christmas Appeal Fill the Bus schedule released

The event was led by The Hits, with all proceeds going to the Rotorua Daily Post Christmas Appeal for the Salvation Army foodbank.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Salvation Army Rotorua officer Kylie Overbye said the estimated value of the food was $10,714 and the toys $4375.

"The Rotorua community amazes me every year because every year we seem to receive more. It's just amazing how the whole community gets behind the Christmas and foodbank drives.

"It goes such a long way to helping people throughout the year who really need it. We're so grateful for everyone's support. Rotorua is particularly generous, there's a real community spirit," Overbye said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She said there were a number of people and organisations who helped with the running of the event as well as raising its profile.

It's time to unload the bus as the sun goes down on another successful Fill the Bus day!

Posted by Rotorua Daily Post on Tuesday, 5 December 2017

"The Hits did a great job, the bus driver went above and beyond, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the amount of people helping with the sorting and counting was amazing."

The Rotorua police, Silver Ferns Sam Sinclair and Katrina Grant and My Kitchen Rules contestants Tash Whitewood and Hera Waitai were all on board helping out.

The Hits announcer Paul Hickey said it was "a stunning day" and he was not just talking about the weather.

Discover more

Get cans ready for Fill the Bus 2017

29 Nov 12:00 AM

Tree to be lit, canned food collected

29 Nov 07:30 PM

Goods pile up for Christmas appeal

01 Dec 05:30 PM

Young and old line Rotorua streets for Santa Parade

02 Dec 06:03 AM
Fill the Bus. Silver Ferns captain Katrina Grant with staff from the Department of Corrections.
Fill the Bus. The Hits Paul Hickey, (left), Lukas Teka, 9, and Silver Fern Sam Sinclair.
Fill the Bus. Ross Mortimer, (left) Susan King from Salvation Army, Jamie Wrigley, and Kris O'Driscoll from Toi Ohomai.
Fill the Bus. The Coffin Club.
Fill the Bus. Rawinia Wilcox, (left), and Keziah Hodgson from Cookie Time.
Fill the Bus. Kawaha Pt School students including Lukah Frederick, 6, Lucia Cianci, 10, and Logan Tina-Williams, 10.
Fill the Bus. Mia-Marie Selwyn, 5, front, and students from Malfroy School and Rotorua Intermediate.
Natalie Ridler from BOP Regional Council, (right), and The Hits Kat Hicks.  6
Tawhiri Le Comte-Hepburn, (left),  Maui Old, and
Leonard Rankin. Year 3 and 4 students at Otonga Rd Primary School. Pictured also is Assistant Principal Mrs Belinda Herbert.
Vishal Dahya.
Constable Marc van Krieken with Susan King, (left), and Ralph Overbye from Salvation Army.
Taeao Asaeli , 6, from Malfroy School.
Pak'N Save.
Warren Rehu from Mega Mitre 10.
Jonaye Griffin from Te Ngae Physiotherapy.
Mike Matson and Rachael Reid from Synergy Electronics.
Countdown Rotorua.
Fill the Bus. 06 December 2017 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker
Fill the Bus. The Warehouse's Tracey Dunbar, left, and Rach Wright.
Fill the Bus. Julia Manktelow.

Image 1 of 20: Fill the Bus. Silver Ferns captain Katrina Grant with staff from the Department of Corrections.

"You always go into these things not quite sure how they are going to turn out, but I think we now know, after three years doing it, that the community gets behind it and it was shown again [on Wednesday].

"From the big businesses who donate lots through to those people who show up with the one can - it's people from all walks of life and they all help make a difference," Hickey said.

#WATCH: The generosity from everyone, especially our local schools, has been incredible! Check out this haul from Otonga Rd Primary School. Tumeke guys! We are at Mega Mitre 10 right now and next stop is Te Ngae shopping centre at 1pm. Show us what you've got eastsiders!

Posted by Rotorua Daily Post on Tuesday, 5 December 2017

He said it was great to see children involved in donating as well.

"That includes all the schools we visit, but also those who turn up to our public stops with a couple of cans. They're of all ages and it's really neat to see them involved.

"This is a caring community and everybody likes to do their bit. [The impact Fill the Bus has on families in need] is invaluable. For so many people in the community it is hard to imagine going without and it's easy at times to go about your own life and forget how hard some people have it.

"They really do rely on the work the Salvation Army do, especially with the Food Bank, and at this time of year where you don't want to be under too much extra pressure."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

When asked if Fill the Bus would be back for a fourth year in 2018, Hickey said "most definitely, without a doubt".

"We're always looking at ways we can make it better and easier for people to donate," he said."

Donations to the Rotorua Daily Post Christmas Appeal for the Salvation Army foodbank can still be made at the Rotorua Daily Post, Rotorua Police Station or the Rotorua Salvation Army.

Fill the Bus 2017

5357 food items at an estimated value of $10,714 donated
1059 more food items than in 2016
1126 toys at an estimated value of $4375 donated

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

No more 'hunting hui': Māori educators launch association to curb feelings of isolation

12 Jul 06:00 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

Landslide sparks evacuations, roads closed, homes flooded after storm

12 Jul 12:43 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

'Merry hell' in Mamaku: Village held 'to ransom' by hoons

11 Jul 06:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

No more 'hunting hui': Māori educators launch association to curb feelings of isolation

No more 'hunting hui': Māori educators launch association to curb feelings of isolation

12 Jul 06:00 PM

After 30 years a new chapter begins for Māori teachers seeking connection and support.

Landslide sparks evacuations, roads closed, homes flooded after storm

Landslide sparks evacuations, roads closed, homes flooded after storm

12 Jul 12:43 AM
'Merry hell' in Mamaku: Village held 'to ransom' by hoons

'Merry hell' in Mamaku: Village held 'to ransom' by hoons

11 Jul 06:00 PM
Bay home crowd rallies behind netball's Magic

Bay home crowd rallies behind netball's Magic

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP