Thanks to the people and business who supported my call for earthquake elderly lunch
I would like to personally thank the following businesses and people that came on board by me going and approaching them and also Ellie Peterson approaching her clients( I hope she can list them as well) for avonside wainoni community trust Xmas lunch.
Peter Timbs Meats for the Christmas Hams and Chickens
Bush Roads Ltd for the lovely salads
Raewood Fresh for the berry fruit
Merivale Life pharmacy for the perfume samples
French Bakery 5% off the $170 goods I purchased
Copenhagen Bakery for the fruit mince pies which I didn't get to collect on time but were given to volunteers at the trust
Patron Margaret Austin for two chickens
Dean Mitchell for purchasing four pavalovas
Anahata Ishaya for all the food she purchased and made and helping me at betty and Leigh decorate the room the day before
Gaynor and Colin Mottram for their donation of money to purchase food
Jules for her contribution of food
Avonside wainoni community trust volunteers for the two pavalovas, one very large chocolate roll and fruit salad
Betty Chapman the community trust organiser for all her hard work throughout the year of these people and pulling together this lunch.
I would also like to acknowledge the following people Paul, dean, Marilyn, Margaret, from my meetup group the christchurch social Midlifers(age range late 20s to 82 we do lots of great things together it's free to join). Who came and made and served the punch, served the food and engaged with what we were expecting to be 60 turning into 72.
Dean and I took some of the left over muffins and gave them to some hard working drilling trench workers in one of christchurch poorest earthquake affected streets, Hampshire as it was afternoon tea time. They said they didnt often stop for a break and one commented he hoped they'd be finished so he could go home for xmas.
We then went and dressed my bichon poodle and a friends cavadoodle in their Santa outfits and took the remaining food into Ronald McDonald house. To see the joy in the children's and parents faces was my Xmas present. To hear that one family is still out of their earthquake affected home due to no ramps for the wheelchair and other damage made me realise how important my acts of kindness weekend I've been planning for about ten months needs to happen for those still suffering in the east and places like waiau, Rotherham, mt lyford.
Have a safe merry Xmas and happy New Year.
Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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