Whakaari/White Island: Whakatāne cafe owner offers free meals to emergency services

Tuesday, 17 December 2019

The Whakatāne community have rallied around to support those affected by the eruption.

A Whakatāne cafe has been offering free meals to those involved in the treatment and rescue of Whakaari/White Island victims.

Cafe 4u is usually full of smiling locals and visitors - but owner Taylor Ulufonua and wife Lila Henareh opened their doors for a different purpose after Whakaari's eruption.

Search and Rescue teams, doctors, nurses, fire crews have been offered meals at no cost at the busy cafe on The Strand in Whakatāne since the eruption.

'One of the (local) firemen came in here on Tuesday morning, as he does most days, and to see the hurt and to see how devastated he was hit our hearts,' Ulufonua said.

**READ MORE:

Cafe 4 U owners Taylor Ulufonua & Lila Henareh are giving away free meals and coffee to all emergency services and family of victims.

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Crowds gathered at Mataatua Marae for the minute silence observed at 2.11pm on Monday to remember those who lost their lives in the Whakaari/White Island eruption.

Realising the devastating impact the eruption was having on the families and emergency services, the couple felt they needed to do something to help.

'We just want to give back and we want to leave them something to remember from this community other than a great tragedy which is just love.'

The couple said the response to their actions had been 'overwhelming' and that the actions came from 'their hearts'.

'It's been amazing, people have just been coming in and giving us a hug. It's been a really emotional time for us as well. We're just so grateful that the community has been coming in and giving a koha and anything they can put in and help,' Henareh said.

Realising the devastating impact the eruption was having on the families and emergency services, the couple felt they needed to do something to help.

'That's just the impact that it has at a time like this - that's the impact of love. If that's going to bring us in unity then it's for the better.'

Ulufonua said concerns had been expressed by others about the money they would lose by giving out free meals, but had only one response.

Local pastor Grant Bateson from Liberty Life church.

'We live in faith - that doesn't even register to us. We know what we give, we will get back 100 fold, so it doesn't matter'.

The pair said the Whakatāne community had experienced other tragedies during the years, but said it was a community that 'just kept going'.

'It's what you do as a community, as a human race, you just keep going, I just hope that we just remember these people, that we honour them and their families and respect them.'

Ulufona said he'd continue assisting emergency services and their families for 'as long as it takes'.

'It's just all about that love eh. And giving back.'

Liberty Life pastor Grant Bateson said he was proud of the way the Whakatāne community supported manuhiri during such adversity.

He,and other church members, supported some of the families who lost loved ones in the eruption. He spoke of the outpouring from businesses, some who offered free food and coffee, and other locals this week.

'We're privileged and I'm inspired by our community.

'A cafe offered free food for any of the emergency services and family, and also they also extended that nurses and doctors. There was also a surf school that offered free lessons.

'That's the heart of this community. I know we've had some prayer vigils and collectively, we see ourselves as a church and everyone is saying, 'what can I do to help?'.

'In amongst this tragedy is to show what we're made of… it's who we are.'