We were very fortunate to host All Blacks Legend Dan Carter and Women’s Rugby World Champion Ruby Tui who visited some of the children in our hardest hit areas including Eskdale, Puketapu, and Tutira.
They were warmly welcomed and helped bring much needed smiles to the faces of hundreds of students.Ruby also visited St Joseph’s Maori Girls College.
Later in the day, Dan and Ruby attended a function aimed at acknowledging the people we know made some heroic efforts in the immediate response phase.
We thank both Dan and Ruby for lending us their time. They put a smile on the face of locals and then some. They were a fantastic pairing and inspirational for children and adults alike!
Special thanks to Unison and Rotorforce New Zealand for making the day possible.
While Dan Carter and Ruby Tui were in town we took the opportunity to host a function to acknowledge our local heroes who went above and beyond in the initial response to the Cyclone – many of whom saved many lives carrying out rescues in our isolated rural areas.
It was also an opportunity to thank some of our donors and share the initiatives we have launched, as well as other activities we have been doing on the ground.
Ruby couldn’t have put it better when she said Hawke’s Bay people had a PhD in resilience. It was a great goodwill stop and much energy, love and support was shared.
Thank you to everyone who was involved in our community response. We salute you!
It was the Ruby and Nancy act on Thursday as women’s rugby star Ruby Tui visited a Napier school that has no rugby teams.