It’s nearly a year since the Canterbury region suffered one of the biggest earthquakes our country has seen. It’s time to reflect and remember those who lost their lives, homes, jobs and loved ones, even forgo a latte or two to show some support for the region. So what are you doing on 22 February? How about showing Christchurch you care?
A website has been set up to encourage businesses and individuals to help out in whatever way they can, on the anniversary of 22 February’s devastating quake. One famous face already on board is top chef Al Brown, restaurateur, and star of TV programmes like Hunger for the Wild and Get Fresh, who is donating ten percent of his takings at Depot Eatery & Oyster Bar on 22 February to the cause.
Brown says “To me it’s like if New Zealand was a bird, we have a broken wing, and to fly again as a whole country we need to fix that wing. I think it’s really important that we not only remember the people of Christchurch on this sad anniversary but show some support too. I really hope to see other businesses and individuals getting behind it.”
The site is called www.feb22.co.nz and the idea is to get people pledging to support Christchurch, along with a message of support.
It’s the brainchild of Alexia Santamaria, from Auckland’s Method Digital: “It doesn’t have to be anything huge,” says Santamaria, “it could be a collection round the office, a coin trail at kindy, a donation box on a shop counter, a mufti-day at school, a percentage of your business takings for the day. It’s not the size that matters, it’s the action and showing Christchurch that they are still on our minds. My husband and I had already decided we wanted to pledge ten percent of our takings for the day to Christchurch. Then I started thinking about how I could get others involved.”
Santamaria only came up with the idea last Friday. Now, less than a week later, and with a bit of help from her husband, digital whizz Blair Aickin, the website’s up and running, and the pledges flooding in, some big, others not so much.
- Kmart pledges to run a coin collection from the 22nd to 26th February in all its stores.
- Paul Blomfield has pledged to send the link to 100 friends and pay a dollar for every friend who registers on the site.
- The Library Cafe is pledging ten percent and putting a collections bucket on the counter.
- Finding Flavour is pledging $150 to Christchurch relief efforts.
- Jude has pledged to bake cookies and sell them at work
- Moo and Flo are donating ten percent of profits over the entire week starting 20 February
While everyone knows Christchurch is still a broken city, people in other parts of the country don’t have to live with it every day. The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal continues to support in the areas of sport and recreation, education, hardship and relief, and 100 percent of funds raised from feb22 will go to it. Let’s give it a nudge and show our Cantab’ brothers and sisters we do still care.
And, as actions speak much louder than worlds, here at Tangible Media we are pledging five percent from sales of all magazine subscriptions ordered through our website on Tuesday 22 February. Visit www.tangiblemedia.co.nz to order a subscription to one of the following titles:
- Dish
- Good
- Idealog
- NZ Weddings
- NZ Fishing
- NZ Rugby
- NZ Marketing
