Hospice Wairarapa general manager Suzie Adamson. PHOTO/HAYLEY GASTMEIER
CHELSEA BOYLE
A “heart-warming” community response has been the “silver-lining” to a mean-spirited burglary.
Hospice Wairarapa was burgled on Thursday night, with thieves getting away with outdoor furniture and some of the goods the hospice hoped to sell to make money.
The outdoor furniture included two white wrought iron tables with six matching seats and a large wooden dining table complete with a sun umbrella and eight chairs.
A chainsaw, plants and porcelain dolls were also stolen. These items had been earmarked for the garage sale the hospice holds every Saturday.
The hospice had an annual running cost of more than $600,000, the majority of which came from the generosity of the community.
Hospice Wairarapa general manager Suzie Adamson said nothing had been returned yet.
“We are hopeful — it’s early days yet.”
But the response of the community had been “very heart-warming”.
Businesses from throughout Masterton had been “stepping up” to help and the offers had been varied from donations of money right down to free carpet cleaning.
Masterton Storage have donated the contents of a locker, Mrs Adamson said.
“It’s just amazing,” she said.
“The community is so generous.”
The donations that had come through would help pay for the excess on the insurance, she said.
“Every cloud has a silver-lining.”
She was still hoping somebody would say something that would bring the stolen goods back.
It was “hard enough” for the patients without taking away things because the budget had been hit.
“It’s not fair on our patients.”
An average of 90 patients and caregivers were supported at the facility each month.
