\u201cThe local support has been overwhelming. Everybody\u2019s getting on board.\u201d<\/p>\n
Auction items include a Land Rover Defender weekend with an off-road experience at Red Barn, two hot laps in the Aston Martin Vulcan at Highlands Motorsport Park, $4000 from Z Fuel, a $5000 package from Wharekauhau Lodge, and premium hospitality packages.<\/p>\n
Rugby league teams Manly Sea Eagles, Gold Coast Titans and New Zealand Warriors have donated rugby jerseys.<\/p>\n
Nine local music acts would also be performing. <\/p>\n
Mount Mellick owner Carl Willets said he and Major wanted to open the Mellick\u2019s doors and rally everyone to give back. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re blown away by the support, and we can\u2019t wait to see the community pack it out for a positive day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ebbett Prestige organised the Land Rover Defender weekend, which sales and brand manager Des Martin said was the least they could do. <\/p>\n
\u201cPulling together as much money on the night for the families doesn\u2019t replace those who have gone, but hopefully it helps make decisions for them going forward a little easier.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mauao Landslide Fundraiser at Totara Street featured two events: the Rock and Roll Warm Up on April 24, 8pm to midnight, then the main event on April 26, from noon to 11pm.<\/p>\n
The Mauao Landslide Fundraiser events will be hosted at Totara Street on April 24 and 26. Photo \/ Leah Tebbutt <\/p>\n
Totara Street director Jay Munro thanked the 100 artists and acts who volunteered, but said only 24 could be selected.<\/p>\n
Local acts such as Tiki Taane<\/a>, No Reply, Dan Sharp, the Gunsmiths and more would be playing across the two-stage set-up.<\/p>\n Munro said Totara Street knew \u201cwe wanted to do something\u201d within a few days of the landslide.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a little bit of disbelief, and it\u2019s still kind of hard to appreciate what went down. It\u2019s the ones who died, their families, and the first responders I feel for the most.\u201d<\/p>\n He said there would be special performances at both events.<\/p>\n Tiki Taane said he saw Totara Street\u2019s Facebook post announcing the event, and he \u201cjumped into their comments\u201d to volunteer.<\/p>\n \u201cWe all want to help in some way and feel that providing our musical services while bringing the community together is the best way for us musicians to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n Taane said the music community was feeling the sadness and grief around Mauao and the families who lost loved ones.<\/p>\n \u201cPlaying a few songs and helping out with the event is something us musicians can do easily, especially with the awesome support and infrastructure of the Totara Street team. <\/p>\n \u201cHopefully we can raise a few thousands of dollars while creating a healing space, full of great music and vibes.\u201d<\/p>\n Mount Mainstreet chairwoman Jo Veale said it was nice to see community organisations take the lead on these events.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll always support anybody down our main street putting on an event like this.\u201d<\/p>\n Woolworths New Zealand customers also donated more than $106,000 to mayoral relief funds during a week-long round-up for disaster relief. <\/p>\n Woolworths New Zealand donated a further $10,000.<\/p>\n Of that, $32,000 would be donated to New Zealand Red Cross.<\/p>\n The remaining $84,000 would be divided between mayoral funds for Whang\u0101rei District Council, Thames Coromandel District Council, Hauraki District Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Tauranga City Council, and Gisborne District Council.<\/p>\n Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford said the fundraising events were a testament to the people who called this place home.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is what the Bay of Plenty and Mount Maunganui community does.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the most challenging and desperate times we\u2019ve been experiencing, we all come together to support one another.\u201d<\/p>\n Council funds <\/p>\n Tauranga Mayor Mah\u00e9 Drysdale said the Tauranga Mayoral Relief Fund had received $200,000 from central government and about $13,000 from donations. <\/p>\n As of March 13, $100,225 had been allocated, and funding would remain open until available funds were exhausted. The council would not divulge who had received funds. <\/p>\n The Western Bay Emergency Response Fund had $278,000 to allocate, although some of that was in pledges that have not yet been received. <\/p>\n Team lead Matty Nicholson said $93,000 had been directed to local organisations, which included Mount Maunganui Surf Life Saving Club<\/a>, Rural Support Trust, Rapid Response Team, Student Volunteer Army, M\u0101ori Wardens, and Mount Mainstreet.<\/p>\n Nicholson said an additional $100,000 had been set aside to meet future needs of affected organisations. <\/p>\n Fundraising efforts were ongoing, and the fund would remain active until funds were fully allocated.<\/p>\n The Western Bay Emergency Response fund did not operate through a formal applications process, Nicholson said. <\/p>\n Five partner organisations \u2013 Acorn Foundation, TECT, BayTrust, Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council \u2013 had been working to identify and meet funding needs.<\/p>\nTiki Taane would be performing at the Mauao Landslide Fundraiser at Totara St on April 26. Photo \/ Alex Cairns<\/p>\n
Bay of Plenty Member of Parliament Tom Rutherford. Photo \/ Alex Cairns<\/p>\n