Toot for Tucker - a community acting as one

Rotary Club of Plimmerton and volunteer helpers prepare to set off

while the fire engines driven by volunteer firefighters get ready to Toot for Tucker

Photo courtesy of Peter Sinke

The people of Whitby (a local community near Wellington, New Zealand) are an amazingly generous bunch. For four nights, the Plimmerton Volunteer Fire Brigade and the local Rural Fire Service blasted the sirens of their fire engines as they traversed many of the Whitby streets. Trucks hooted their horns, volunteers pounded the streets, and the residents of Whitby opened their doors with arms full of tucker for the Salvation Army Foodbank. Little kids in their pyjamas came out onto the street, open mouthed with excitement at the raucous going on.

The result of all this generosity is that the shelves at the Salvation Army Foodbank in Canons Creek are ready for the potential onslaught from people who would love to be able to feed their families with a little extra at Christmas but lack the means. In addition to all the food, close to $950 in cash was also donated. Lieutenant Chris Collings of the Salvation Army said, ‘We’re blown away by people’s generosity and grateful for the Rotary Club’s initiative. We’ll be able to approach Christmas with confidence and we’re very pleased that we have enough to be able to share it around with other food banks in Porirua’.

The result of all this generosity is that the shelves at the Salvation Army Foodbank in Canons Creek are ready for the potential onslaught from people who would love to be able to feed their families with a little extra at Christmas but lack the means. In addition to all the food, close to $950 in cash was also donated. Lieutenant Chris Collings of the Salvation Army said, ‘We’re blown away by people’s generosity and grateful for the Rotary Club’s initiative. We’ll be able to approach Christmas with confidence and we’re very pleased that we have enough to be able to share it around with other food banks in Porirua’.

The Rotary Club of Plimmerton offers grateful thanks to the Volunteer Fire Officers and the kind people of Whitby and hopes that everyone has a very Happy Christmas.