The generosity of strangers, or why we love Hastings

[rumpelsnorcack]

A few days ago the principal of our school sent out an email and a text message asking us to come down to school grounds today because Hastings Intermediate had been kind enough to put together a container of care packages for our school.  They had chosen to help out one of the worst affected schools, and when they asked were directed to our school.  It was a little overwhelming to be honest - they estimate they put together about $50,000 worth of stuff to send to us.  We are all extremely grateful.  Apart from the general loveliness of Hastings Intermediate in doing this for us, it was also a wonderful opportunity to see everyone and make sure that they are all okay- not just from hearsay but actually be able to see them and hug them.  Someone had obviously alerted the media because we had someone from the Press there as well as what looked like a TV camera.  It'll be interesting to see what turns up about it and where.

Here are some pictures.








While we were there I took the opportunity to take some pictures of the roads around our school.  It still boggles my mind that an area I know so well and that I'm used to as having pretty streets with decent roads can look like this after a few seconds of shaking.

 

Comments

[tamswitter.livejournal.com]

Wow. It's so intense!!

[rumpelsnorcack.livejournal.com]

Yeah it's nuts, hey? My end of my street looks normal but all this is within walking distance of me. It's crazy. And this is what the whole area looks like. Also - notice how many portaloos there aren't? There's one at the very end of that last street and they all still have no water so I doubt they have a waste system either. And I was at Northlands today - and there are so many there plus a trailer with chemical toilets on it. It doesn't seem quite right!

[tamswitter.livejournal.com]

It sucks! Are you going to go to your meeting tmrw??

I posted...

[rumpelsnorcack.livejournal.com]

Yes definitely. You won't keep me away from that meeting - thankfully it's after homeschool finishes for the day :D

[phaetonschariot.livejournal.com]

lol I'm still pissed I had to miss our meeting.

[rumpelsnorcack.livejournal.com]

Yeah I would be too. I'm extremely curious about it. Thankfully it's a nice day so I can walk down since I am currently carless.

[phaetonschariot.livejournal.com]

I don't drive at all so it's buses and walking. But yay more buses on Friday! Including more in the east.

[rumpelsnorcack.livejournal.com]

Yeah, buses have been a bit limited over here - and in fact even in normal times the bus that runs nearest to us is very infrequent. I'm going to need to figure out this bus route thing for the memorial day next Friday to get me to the park. I'd do that even if I had a car because I can't imagine parking in there will be much fun at all.

[phaetonschariot.livejournal.com]

Yeah the bus routes closest to my house both come once an hour. Aughhhhh.

Apparently Prince William's going to be there. It's going to be ridiculous. Doubt you'd be able to park anywhere near the place even if you were the only one driving.

[rumpelsnorcack.livejournal.com]

Yeah I just saw that on your journal - and expressed my feelings on that over there.

We should meet up or something. Most of the people I know have expressed great hesitation about going, so I may be alone which would be pretty brutal I suspect.