Friday, 25 February 2011 - 6:12am |
National News

Christchurch earthquake - overwhelming generosity from community

1 min read

The generosity of the Christchurch community is shining through with continual gestures of goodwill towards the various agencies who are working on the search and rescue efforts.

Even those who were caught up in the epicentre of the quake are taking time out to give something back.

One of those people is Evan Coster and his family from Rangiora. Evan, 33, was working in Harvey Norman when the earthquake struck on Thursday. He doesn't know if he has a job to go back to and with time on his hands wanted to do something useful.

"I rang the Police and asked them what I could do," said Evan. "They told me to stay home and spend time with my family but I was sitting twiddling my thumbs needing to do something."

Evan started visiting local businesses in Rangiora such as Warehouse, Countdown, New World and service stations and encouraged them to donate cups, coffee, sugar and milk. He then contacted his father John, who owns an ice cream van, and yesterday they drove round all of the cordons in the CBD making hot drinks for the Police and military personnel.

Evan's wife Amanda, 30, then put a message on her Facebook and sent texts to generate more support, which resulted in all of her friends going on a baking frenzy.

Evan and his father will be back out today in their ice cream van visiting every cordon twice to deliver drinks and baking.

The father of three children under the age of six said: "We have a home and these guys are out there helping people and not getting much out of it. It is the little things that count in the end."

Evan will be starting his deliveries around 9.30 this morning.

Police media enquiries should be referred to 0274 320 960.