Rotary club Rotorua donates 140 hygiene packs to families in need

Hygiene packs were also donated to the children’s ward at Rotorua Hospital. Photo / Supplied

For the fifth year, the Rotary Club of Rotorua Passport has donated hygiene packs to support Rotorua people in a time of need.

This week, 140 packs were donated to the children’s ward at Rotorua Hospital, Te Wāhi Whakaora Rotorua and District Women’s Refuge, made possible using funds raised by the club and matched by a Rotary district grant.

Each pack contains items that might be useful to those in a time of stress or crisis, including toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, sanitary pads and tissues.

The Rotary Club of Rotorua Passport has donated more than 900 hygiene packs to various organisations, including Te Wāhi Whakaora Rotorua and District Women’s Refuge. Photo / Supplied

“We recognise that many in our community need a bit of a hand during a difficult time and our club exists to find ways to do just that,” club president Dane Joseph said.

“Over the last five years, our club has donated 975 hygiene packs to our community.”

Club member Juanita Conder has led its hygiene pack project.

“These packs are a small gesture to those in need. Hopefully, those who receive a pack feel the community cares for them and supports them in their recovery,” Condor said.

“We’re still a new club in Rotorua, but we’ve gone from strength to strength,” Joseph said.

He said with the support of the Rotorua community, Rotary Passport was recently able to raise and donate $30,000 spread across Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ, Rotorua Breast Cancer Trust and Child Cancer Foundation NZ.

“Other projects our members have completed this year include supporting Rotorua SPCA, Cerebral Palsy [Society], and a member completed the Whaka 100 in support of prostate cancer awareness, raising more than $6000 in the process.

“We can do the big things and the small things like these hygiene packs, to help others in the community.”

- Supplied content