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Dargaville
July 11 2012
Kaipara
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P9
Community to the rescue by Kim Munro
A Ruawai family is counting the cost of a devastating house fire — and it comes out very much on the credit side, thanks to a huge community response
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Haydn Andrewes has recently taken on the role as building inspector at the Kaipara District Council …
P2
Music director debut Otamatea Repertory Theatre’s latest production, ‘Oliver’, with a new musical director, Warwick Simpson opens soon …
P5
Taniwha team fires up Otamatea-Rodney team wins the runner-up title at the Northland Primary Schools Rugby Taniwha Shield Tournament 2012 …
P6
In the early hours of June 14, while husband and father, Sam Lord, was ill in hospital, his wife Koren awoke to their house at Tokatoka full of smoke. The house was on fire. Fighting down panic she managed to quickly rouse her three young children and get out of their home. “I received an early morning call in the hospital from my wife to say ‘our house burnt down last night’. In disbelief I said ‘you’re kidding’, however it was no joke,” said Sam. After serving in the navy and living in Devonport, the Lord family decided to move to the Kaipara to raise their family and in 2001 purchased a farmlet overlooking the harbour at Tokatoka. Then, five years ago, Sam was diagnosed with chronic renal failure and he is currently waiting for a kidney transplant, undergoing dialysis three days a week. So the night-time fire was another massive blow for the family. Ruawai Fire Chief, Kevin Evans, was first on the scene of the blaze. “When I arrived there were flames rolling out of the house — it was well alight. I was relieved to see that Koren and the kids were out safely but the house was devastated. The only things remaining were a few clothes that had been in the clothes drier,” he said. But within hours a friend of the family, who asked not to be named was receiving phone calls from people eager to help the Lords.
The Lord Family, from left: Chauntelle, Sam, Koren, Harry and Sarina
“We were flooded with offers. The first priority was clothes as all they had were their pyjamas but within days the family had almost everything they needed thanks to the kindness of the community.” The family also received a donation from the Ruawai Lions club. “As part of our club’s policy, we contribute funds to anyone in the district
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who loses their home to help them get back on their feet. It’s good to be able to do something for the family,” said club member Ralph Littler. Less than a week after the disaster, thanks to a generous community, the Lord family had a furnished home, a car, clothes and toys for the children.
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