Russell Bell PHOTO/FILE
AFTER a week or more of seeing the effects of a natural disaster and its aftermath, it's hard to write a business-centric piece. This is particularly the case when the first-hand accounts of the devastation and heartache wreaked by the floods begin to filter through.
So, noting that businesses down by the river are still assessing the impacts and determining "where to from here" and others like Stellar have opened their doors, I want to spend this week's column saying thank you. But first a bit of context.
If anyone in my immediate family deserved recognition for service above and beyond to his community, it was my late grandfather Bill Bell.
Instrumental in establishing the Duncan Hospital on Durie Hill and working on the front line of the fight against one of the most terrible diseases to afflict our nation - polio. Not to mention the volunteer work he did for sports around the city.
I remember a particular phone call to him where I described a situation on an assignment where I had worked "above and beyond" and not received recognition for that work. I recall "above and beyond", including 16-hour plus days and weekends sacrificed on the altar of Arthur Andersen's then mantra of "work hard, play hard".
The conversation is one of the few in my life that I can recall verbatim but one sentence in particular echoes loudly:
"... the foundation of success will always be those who are unseen and recognition tends to come to those who are sitting on the shoulders of others".
My grandfather actually put his safety at risk and gained the most satisfaction of helping his patients achieve mobility in the face of incredible odds for some. He never sought recognition and rejected outright the notion of being nominated for national awards. It was the work and the outcome (for his patients) which was important.
This article is to say thank you to those who are unseen in our community and specifically those who went above and beyond in our region's time of need. I am talking about the volunteers, families and friends of those afflicted and the team at Wanganui District Council.
Sure, it would be difficult to say things ran perfectly over the last week - in times of disaster they seldom do - but the response of the community has left me humbled and proud.
The "army" of volunteers who are working in, at times, horrible and putrid conditions are faces on photos but should be lauded for their efforts and commitment.
Last week, I also had the privilege of seeing the council response centre in action and noted the staff and councillors who, with little sleep, were committing to night shifts and tasks out in the "red zone".
These are people who I have come to know over our time here in Wanganui, who have families and day jobs, putting in almost Herculean efforts to keep our city functioning and bring aid to those in need.
Much respect.
There is so much more that could be said here but my words won't do justice to the effort expended to this point and that which is still ongoing.
Business will always be an important and primary pillar of community growth and vision, but volunteers and community spirit are part of the foundation that keeps the pillar standing.
-Russell Bell's Zenith Strategic Solutions is a specialist Wanganui business advice and consultancy practice - 021 2442421