Volunteers serve up Tūrangi's community dinner, from left; Steve Holliss, Hira and Maria.
Volunteers serve up Tūrangi's community dinner, from left; Steve Holliss, Hira and Maria.
A donation of biblical proportions means the people of Tūrangi can continue to fill their stomachs at regular community dinners.
Twice a month, up to 70 people gather in the Senior Citizens Hall in the town centre for a free feed and a good chinwag.
Run by the Tūrangi Mountain Region Trust - backed by River of Life Church - on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, the dinners have proved popular for the past 11 years.
Church pastor Steve Hollis said the church picked up half the food bill, and the other half came from BayTrust, with volunteers cooking, serving and cleaning up.
“People like to help each other too. If they have extra vegetables from their garden, they bring them in and people who need them can take them away.”
The idea behind the dinners was so that people could have a good meal and take the leftovers home for another meal or two. Anyone was welcome to attend.
The free dinners started in 2013, to alleviate demand on the local food bank, but the benefits proved more valuable and wide-reaching.
“Our ages range from really young to really old ... and so it’s a chance to get those people together.
“Those who attend regularly have built relationships and often sit with the same people. And those friendships often continue outside of our dinners too.
“New people are always welcomed in so it’s very social. Often when the meal is finished, people stay around chatting for a while afterwards.”
He said when it came time to shop for a dinner of that size, it was a stark reminder of how much food prices had risen.
However, there was extra cause to celebrate this month with BayTrust more than doubling its usual donation to $4650. Hollis said that would pay almost half of this year’s food bill.
Volunteers serve up Tūrangi's community dinner, from left; Steve Holliss, Hira and Maria.
“It’s the biggest amount BayTrust has ever given us which is excellent. It’s organisations like BayTrust that make things like this possible, so it’s really appreciated.
“They allow us to keep going, which is so important. Over the last few years it’s costing us more to purchase food and we have to make sure we have enough to feed everyone.”
Attendees were encouraged to bring an ice cream container to take home any leftovers and to ensure nothing went to waste.
“So Tuesday’s meal might also become Wednesday’s meal. For some people, it’s the most substantial thing they’ll eat all week.”
Menus varied but included family favourites like bolognese, pasta bake, shepherd’s pie, sausages and burger patties, pumpkin soup, quiche and plenty of mixed vegetables. Ice cream was a staple on the menu, usually with a dessert slice and sometimes even apple crumble.
“We always advertise on the Tūrangi Noticeboard page on Facebook, but anyone passing through town is most welcome to just come and grab a meal.”
BayTrust CEO Alastair Rhodes said Tūrangi’s community dinners were a wonderful example of what makes living in a small town so special.
“People go above and beyond to help each other and those tight-knit bonds then have so many flow-on benefits. It reduces social isolation, builds friendships and gives people a sense of inclusion and belonging.
“We know how expensive food has become in the past few years so we’re very pleased to offer this financial support so Tūrangi locals can keep doing what they do best – supporting one another.”
