Christmas Appeal: Salvation Army makes 3 collection trips from Rotorua Lakes Council community drop-off point

Rotorua Salvation Army programme facilitator Deborah De Loree (left) and community ministries manager Darnielle Hoods collect the final items from the Rotorua Lakes Council collection point. Photo / Annabel Reid

The collection of the third and final batch of food and toy donations has marked the end of Rotorua Lakes Council’s role as a main collection point for the Rotorua Daily Post Christmas Appeal.

In the past six weeks, the council building has been a steady drop-off point for people wanting to support local families through the Rotorua Salvation Army Foodbank.

The annual appeal launched on November 15 with backing from The Hits Rotorua 97.5FM. The Salvation Army is collecting its final items until 3pm today.

As of December 15, the foodbank had raised $73,858.

This was made up of $34,143 in food donations, $19,875 in cash and vouchers, and $19,840 in toys and gifts.

Among the items collected were boxes of non-perishable food, children’s toys and a handful of particularly personal donations.

Rotorua Lakes Council staff also received about 20 handmade teddy bears, donated by “two very lovely ladies”, a spokesperson said, with a couple of large boxes of toys destined for local children this Christmas.

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell said the appeal was a reminder of the generosity continuing to “shine” through the Rotorua community.

She said it made her “so happy”, particularly given the challenging times many families were facing.

“It’s great that despite challenging times we still share the values and joy of giving back and caring for others,” she said.

Tapsell said it was “pretty special” the donations would help create a “magical” Christmas Day for local families.

She said the council was proud to again support the appeal as a drop-off point and acknowledged the contribution of local schools throughout the appeal.

Rotorua Salvation Army community ministries manager Darnielle Hoods said cash donations had continued to roll in, with about $2200 received last week.

Hoods said much of that had come from elderly locals making their “annual $500 donation”, many of whom preferred to give in person rather than online, alongside businesses and groups running their own collections.

She said another recent contribution was $170 from the Rotorua Night Market, given through the council collection.

Hoods said the generosity shown throughout the appeal had been “heart-warming”, with donations arriving through a mix of small community efforts, business collections and events.

Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury.