PHOTO/FILE
ELI HILL
[email protected]
Donations to a certain Daffodil Day donation box in Featherston have bloomed in the wake of “the Daffodil Day disgrace”.
Patients and staff at Featherston Medical were left “disgusted” after two men stole a Daffodil Day donation box full of cash from its reception area on Daffodil Day at the end of last month.
But a string of donations from the community to help replace the funds has left the new donation box with more money than there was before the theft, practice manager Aruni Dias said.
“I think that’s the real story, the generosity of the community.
“After the article went out and a post went up on Facebook, we had a heap of people come in and donate.
“Some patients brought in morning tea for the staff, and we had people offering to build a secure donation box in our reception for future fundraisers.”
Dias said police had also received a lot of information from the community.
“Featherston has been amazing; we’re a small community and this shows the way a small community behaves – everyone looks out for each other.”
The box was stolen on August 30 by two men, including one with a distinctive eye tattoo, while the medical centre’s receptionist was dealing with a patient.
Chased by patients, some of whom were unwell, and staff, the men took off towards Fitzherbert St and managed to escape.
