Just The Tonic Hands Up Wellington.........x FEEBS

How heartening this Experience was.
As like any business in Christchurch, we all have been profoundly affeced by the fallen city. The unknown was upon us and we had to take each day step by step, not knowing if our efforts for our businesses would be enough to help us keep it all going and not losing all the work we put into build it.
Being Tired and dazed at time.........Then came Rochelle and Heather from Hands Up Wellington who extended out to businesses of Christchurch an invite....they handed us "A Rope of Hope".

From the moment I signed on I felt in the loop and arriving at CQ Hotel Wellington to a well organised meeting on the first night before the retail expo, was just the tonic to get me into the optimistic mood for the weekend.
I arrived at the TSB Area to set up my stall knowing there would be help to come, but little did I know just how much help I needed. It was from that moment of set up I became aware of just how Earth Quaked my brian had become and I could feel the strains of pulling the brain together.....and then the troops arrived!

Let me introduce my volunteers that helped me:

Ritsa - Art Centre area supervisor and display talented!
Liz - Volunteer Stall help and Sales woman extraordinaire
Tabatha - Volunteer Stall help and Sales Queen with the best smile( how could they refuse to buy a flower)
Rick - Set up and pack down volunteer. Thank you Rick for sorting all the technical things out, with EQ brain it was better I stayed away from that stuff)
Barry- Volunteer Stall help and Man who would get anything for you even super glue and a bag of fruit.
Amanda- Volunteer Stall help and a positive giving person.

From the moment Rick and Liz came to my stall space, they got into action......being so attentive to what I was needing done and offering positive suggestions to help the set up flow better.

Ritsa turned up with the TV, DVd player and the flowers I had ordered, with such a smile on her face that reflected positive feeling that would grow continuously all weekend.

Liz and Tabatha were up for the challenge to learn as much as they could about FEEBS Paua Flowers and why and how they came about. With this information at hand the generous Wellingtonians shoppers did not stand a chance. Not many who came near my flower brooches left unscathed!! I had the sales team every retailer dreams of and I can not say enough how supported I felt with their generous hearts. It was like they wrapped me up in a cuddly blanket and there was never a time I was without food or drink......someone was always there to see to my needs.

Thank you Barry for you unwavering support and being so extremely caring for us Cantanbrians.

I can not say enough about the people who helped me over those two days of retail madness.

I came feeling shattered, weary, and unsure of the future and thanks to the efforts of all who were involved in Hands Up Wellington, I left feeling injected with an infectious feeling of positivity and Hope. How heartening it is to be cared about by people from another city. With fantastic sales made I went away from the Wellington experience ready to walk forward again in what is needing to be done to pick up the pieces and move forward once again.
This has shown me just how far community can stretch within New Zealand as a country. Your 'Amazing' Wellingtonians, thank you for all your support. I met strangers and left knowing new friends.
Kia Kaha Christchurch we really do have our country behind us.