Christmas Appeal: More than 120 donations collected by Rotorua’s Scope Cafe

Scope cafe owner Dana Greer invites the community to get behind Can-for-a-Coffee Day. Photo / Maryana Garcia

Scope cafe collected more than 120 donations as part of their Can for a Coffee drive in support of the Salvation Army foodbank on Wednesday.

And Scope co-owner Dana Greer says customers are still bringing in more goods.

The Can for a Coffee day was organised by Scope as part of the Rotorua Daily Post Christmas Appeal.

The six-week appeal, run in conjunction with the Rotorua Weekender and The Hits Rotorua 97.5FM, has called for people to donate what money or food items they can afford to the foodbank ahead of Christmas.

On Wednesday, the appeal’s Fill the Bus campaign collected a record-breaking 10,041 can donations valued at $25,152.50.

Rotorua's Scope cafe held its annual Can for a Coffee day on December 7. Photo / Maryana Garcia

Scope co-owner Dana Greer said the cafe’s Can for a Coffee Day was a bit quieter than previous years, probably due to Fill the Bus being on the same day.

But Greer and her staff were happy with the donations received.

“I kind of stopped counting at about 120 donations,” Greer said.

“We definitely collected more than that. It was a really busy morning.”

Greer said the cafe was still receiving donations two days after the Can for a Coffee event.

“We will wait until the end of the week and then take the rest of the donations over to the Salvation Army.”

When asked about her customers’ response to the Can for a Coffee day, Greer said it was “the same as always”.

“Everyone was really happy to do it.”

Greer said she was already looking forward to next year.

Rotorua Salvation Army corps officer Hana Seddon is ready for this year's appeal. Photo / Andrew Warner

Scope’s more than 120 donations, a record-breaking Fill the Bus campaign and hours of volunteer hard work have left Salvation Army Rotorua corps officer Hana Seddon feeling one thing:

Grateful.

“The generosity of the people of Rotorua has blown us away and exceeded our expectations,” Seddon told the Rotorua Daily Post.

“We know that it’s been a financially tough year for many people, yet they still gave more this year than any other year – that is incredible.”

Seddon said she and her team at the Salvation Army Rotorua were “overwhelmed, in a good way” by the warmth and support they had been shown.

“We’re already working really hard to get that kai back out to places it is needed.”

Seddon said she was still reeling from the record-breaking Fill the Bus donations received on Wednesday.

“We received over 10,000 items and so many cans of goodness that we can give out as symbols of joy, peace, hope this Christmas and beyond.”