Almost from the moment we first heard about the terrible Christchurch earthquake, the Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Village Community have been busy fundraising to offer our support to the rebuilding of homes and lives. First up was a charity Quiz night - every brainic in Mt Cook paid to prove they were the champion team. Two fabulous raffles raised $300, and the Hermitage staff Social Club donated a further $1000. The 'guess the number of lollies in the jar competition' at fifty cents a guess attracted thousands of entries. I missed out but luck was on George our Chief engineers side with his guess of 1700 lollies, he then promptly made himself extremely popular by donating all 1738 lollies to the Mt Cook School kids. The following week we raised a further $300 at a movie night in the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine centre, and the Café staff donated all their tips over the next two weeks raising a further $300. 
The Department of Conservation and The Vaguely Familiars (a local band made of Aoraki Mount Cook Residents with a musical flair to match no other) held a bake/busking sale outside the DOC Visitors centre with loads of yummy baking made by the DOC staff and Aoraki Mount Cook School. Who could resist buying such delicious cookies!!! And it wasn't long before the busking hat was filled to the brim. A total of $725 dollars was raised.
And last week the Chamois Bar and Grill hosted a Texas hold'em poker night. It proved a huge success with everyone (including never before poker plays like me) getting into the swing of things. Over 60 people played with many more enjoying the atmosphere and music by the Vaguely familiars. The night wrapped up with an Auction made possible by the generous support of Glentanner Park Horse Trekking, Omamara Hot Tubs, Rangitata Rafts, DB Brewery, AJ Hacket, Wanaka Sky Dive, The Hermitage Hotel, Base Backpackers Queenstown, Chamois Bar & Fish Tank Lodge Kaikoura.- so many fabulous items up for grabs it was tense time over who won what !
It was too much dismay that we heard the news about the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan. The Aoraki Mount Cook Village Japanese community came to together with a plan to have a day of fundraising with the support of the Hermitage Hotel. All afternoon they sold fantastic raffles with prizes for all sorts of great activities. Fortunately our ex staff members Nic & Emi Scheele who where in Tokyo at the time of the earthquake
were safe, Emi is a professional opera singer and offered to perform a concert at the Hermitage to raise money for the Japanese Earthquake appeal.
All week the Japanese staff made origami to have on display and in return for a donation each person received a beautifully crafted origami to take away. On Saturday 26th in the Hermitage hotel Anna (age 8) & Marina (aged 6) members of the Aoraki Mount Cook Sedio Karate club demonstrated chopping blocks of wood in half using only their feet!!! After the cheers had died down Nic Scheeles shared with the audience his and his families personal account of the earthquake and its affects. Emi then wowed us all with her amazing voice singing a collection of songs each one holding special significant to Japan, Christchurch and Aoraki Mt Cook Village. 
To top off what was already an excellent evening the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine centre played the film, the Celestial Railway by famous Japanese author Kenji Miyazawa. A total of $1200 was raised, The Aoraki Mount Cook Village Japanese Community say Arigato (thank you) to Mount Cook Skiplanes, Glacier Explorers, Tasman Valley 4WD Drive & Argo Tours, and the Hermitage Hotel for the donation of the raffle prizes. With all the events and also generous donations form the Hermitage Hotel visitors there has been $4787 dollars raised so far towards the Christchurch Earthquake appeal. This money will go to the Red Cross Christchurch Earthquake appeal.
We have also raised $2500 towards the Japanese Earthquake appeal. This money will be divided and donated to Red Cross Japan and also directly to Otsuchi & Miyako City (where our Japanese staff friends and family are from and who have been seriously affected).
Through these difficult times Aoraki Mount Cook Village residents will continue to support and do our part to help with the rebuilding of homes and lives for both our fellow Canterburians and our Japanese friends.
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