A barbecue and drinks put on for flood-affected Waitotara Valley residents was a great night and a hell of a good thought, Waitotara resident Andrew Pearce says.
The Waverley Lions Club staged the event at the Ngamatapouri Hall on Saturday night. Club members left the Clarendon Hotel at 1pm in a 40-seater bus, president Damian Roper said, and were ready to host residents at the hall by 3pm.
The road was down to one lane in places, but surprisingly good. It was the flood damage to the river trench and slips that were a real eye-opener.
"It was incredible, devastating. It's going to take years to recover."
Waverley people had a close connection with the Waitotara and Ngutuwera valleys, which were badly affected by the June flood. The Lions Club wanted to do something to help.