Feilding community rallies for Kenny
Kenny Heap is very grateful.
He is grateful to his nephew Nathan who is credited with discovering the fire that destroyed his home and evacuated him safely.
He is grateful to the Feilding Volunteer Fire Brigade who attended and controlled the fast-moving blaze so quickly.
He is grateful to the people and community organisations of Feilding who donated goods and cash to help him get back on his feet.
He is particularly grateful to the Manawatu Community Trust (MCT) who were able to provide rental accommodation in Feilding within a day of the fire.
Kenny had been living in his two storey, East Street home for four years when he had an accident on the stairs. Concerned for the 73-year-old’s safety, his cousin Paul put Kenny’s name down on the MCT waiting list.
Not long after, on an ordinary Monday in September, Kenny’s world changed. The early afternoon blaze that was believed to have started in the garage took hold quickly, and the resulting smoke and water damage meant Kenny lost almost everything. “Except the washing machine,” he says.
“The Fire Brigade were fantastic,” says Kenny. “And WINZ didn’t muck around.” He soon received vouchers to buy some clothes, food, and personal items.
MCT’s Tenancy Support Officer Donna Cribb says, “It was only a matter of about half an hour after the fire was extinguished when Kenny’s cousin Paul came running in to the office reeking of house smoke and face all sooty announcing “Kenny’s flat has burnt down”!! It was then the wheels went into motion to decide if we had a flat vacant that would be suitable and pretty smartly. As luck would have it, we did! They were ever so grateful. Thankfully he already had an application in for a flat, so they knew where to come to for help. As a well-known Feilding resident, people heard of Kenny’s plight and gave him cash in the street to help him out.”
Kenny stayed with Paul for two nights while his friends and family rallied to set up his new unit in the Rangimarie Flats. They sourced kitchen essentials, linen and a fridge from Manchester House. And family member Gwen arranged the delivery of a bed from the Salvation Army.
Now settled in his sunny and central one-bedroom flat, Kenny is humbled by the generosity of locals and thankful to those around him who “pitched-in in my hour of need.”
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