Christchurch business owners left teary eyed over early Christmas gifts

There was hardly a dry eye in the house last Tuesday morning when more than 200 small business owners and self-employed people were surprised with good wishes and big red Christmas gift hampers – all donated, assembled and packed by their comrades up and down New Zealand.

With Christchurch having such a rough time and so many people still in limbo, BNI New Zealand members (mostly SME owners and the self-employed) around the country banded together to pack the surprise Christmas hampers full of ‘love and goodies’ for their fellow members in the earthquake struck city.

Pictured above: Dennis Inkster (BNI Kinesis) collects his hamper. In the background, left Denise Robinson (BNI Otago Director) and right BNI New Zealand National Director Graham Southwell.

The entire initiative was co-ordinated, planned and carried out by BNI Auckland directors Mariska Mannes and Rosemary and Paul Meyer.

Mariska said BNI is about comradeship between members who do business by the mantra ‘Givers Gain’, and the surprise Christmas hampers are a great way to articulate that comradeship and that spirit of mutual support.

Christchurch members, many teary-eyed, were clearly overwhelmed and touched by the gesture and, while there was hardly a dry eye in the house, there was certainly joy on every single face.

BNI Canterbury director, Sam Williamson, said people were very emotional.

“’Blown away’ were the words used often. People said they were really just humbled that other people up and down the country would show such a sign of support.

“Everybody was very surprised; they had no idea whatsoever. I’ve had a huge number of messages from people with their thanks – many want to get in touch with whoever made their box, to pass on their thanks.

“It certainly lifted our spirits to know that people are thinking of us and that we haven’t been forgotten,” said Sam.

BNI New Zealand National Director Graham Southwell told the breakfast that sometimes the toughest times are those that follow a tragedy or disaster, when everybody else has started moving on with their lives, leaving those affected to pick up the pieces.

“This is our way to say that you haven’t been forgotten. That we are still thinking of you, still supporting you and we are here to help in any way we can,” he said.

Mariska Mannes says she got the idea for the early Christmas surprise when talking to Kathryn Mountain, a member of BNI Epsom in Auckland, about how they felt quite helpless and not sure of how to help people in Christchurch.

“Kathryn remarked that it would be nice to send them a Christmas hamper, and that really was how the idea got started.”

Julie Cunningham (BNI Hibiscus Coast Chapter) and Mariska Mannes drove a van across New Zealand to collect the hampers, with the road show culminating in Christchurch on Tuesday 29 November at the big breakfast in the city.

“Chapters around New Zealand put in a phenomenal effort to raise money to pay for the boxes, ribbons, cards and goodies for the hampers.

“The road show started when I collected hampers in Northland in mid-November, and included a big breakfast in Auckland where 128 people gathered for a big breakfast to assemble the boxes, write the cards and pack the goodies.”

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker was the guest speaker and took the opportunity to challenge Cantabrians to be innovative, and to think long term about rebuilding Christchurch into something truly unique for their children and their children’s children.