In the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle, a group of Whitianga locals have banded together to host the Cyclone
Gabrielle Hawkes Bay Relief Fundraiser Concert this Saturday, February 25 from 6pm at the Monkey House
Lounge & Cabaret.
Whitianga local and well-known NZ Hip Hop artist Tipene Harmer, the main organiser of the fundraiser, is keen to
raise funds for the Flaxmere Planning Committee and Te Aranga Marae in Hastings, who are housing flood
victims from Cyclone Gabrielle.
“Hastings is my hometown and I’ve heard first hand from friends and whānau down there that the Hawkes Bay
community is really struggling after Gabrielle,” he said. “Three of our marae and urupā (cemetery) back home
have been smashed and countless families have lost everything. It was very emotional watching the videos
online, I felt helpless not being able to physically help.
“Our whānau in Flaxmere have stepped up to house flood victims at our local community centre and marae keep
but their resources are stretched. This fundraiser concert is something we can do from here to tautoko (support).”
The concert will feature live music from local acts: Pete ‘Rocking X-Realtor’ Lawrence, Vegas Brown, Corrosive
Moses, Roimata Taimana, The Generation (from Hamilton), C33Y aka Chance Haddon and of course Tipene.
There will also be kai on sale, a raffle and a silent auction.
Details:
Where: Monkey House Lounge & Cabaret, 18 Coghill Street, Whitianga
Tickets: R18. $25 from Eventfinda, Whitianga iSite and the venue.
Fundraising activities: Spot prize raffles with prizes donated by local businesses.
Kai: Sausage Sizzle, TatiFrutti Food Truck selling empanadas, tarts, tortilla & sweet treats.
Donations: A bank account has been set up to accept donations if you can’t make the event:
02-0644-023826
Whitianga local Tipene Harmer is the driver behind the fundraiser. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
