Podcast: Details
Krill’s Roberts has a golden heart, doing everything she can to help a family struggling in western Auckland. She also represents the changing face of Rotary, a solid community organization.
On a chilly Saturday morning, you can hear reggae band drums warming up in a large hut at the Corvans Art Center in western Auckland.
People sort out used clothing and piles of blankets, barbecues are burned for sausage sizzles, and children are playing in elastic castles.
From food to brand new kids backpacks and toys, it looks like a typical kiwi fundraiser, except that everything is free. There are security guards at the front door and on the road, and everyone is welcome.
Behind it is Kriddles Roberts wearing a bright orange hibis vest. Through her charity, the Unity in Our Community, she keeps in touch with people sleeping in the car and multi-generational families packed into small homes every day.
This event is for them.
“Poverty has no time frame or culture,” she says.
“The reason Unity was created is because homeless families, babies, and Nana all live in the car. That’s why nothing is sold. Sell something to homeless people. Why? ”
detail I spoke with Roberts two years ago when she became the new president of the Waitákere Rotary Club. The face of organizational change and diversity.
At this event, she puts together two roles. She assists those who are alive and breathing, and utilizes Rotary’s “huge machines” with business connections and networks around Auckland.
Second, Rotary members are backing up and trying to recruit more members.
A Rotarian stands behind the table, serving bottled water and talking to people about the organization.
“My goal was to attract a more diverse and younger audience to Rotary, and I realized that having more hands-on projects was key,” he says.
Above the table are pictures of Rotary worker bees, including a dangerous playground turned into a garden bed for a school in western Auckland who was attending a garden-to-table program.
Roberts says it’s important to get Rotary involved. She respects the organization and wants more clubs to join.
Roberts mentor and Rotary leader Elaine Mead calls her a breath of fresh air. She says Rotary shows that “it wasn’t just a bluish, old, business-only group of people.” The organization was founded in 1905 with the goal of giving back to the community and is returning to its roots with members like Roberts.
“The partnership is where we need to go, and Cridles brought it. She wasn’t a regular Rotarian at the time, it was great,” says Mead.
Roberts held regular free events in southern and western Auckland for several years until Covid-19 stopped. But this time it’s not, she says. Some of the groups and individuals who donated their time and skills at previous events now need to help themselves.
Roberts just wants the people who come with him to have a “beautiful experience”.
“I want them to fill their cupboards, their wardrobes, everything they can, so you know there will be a peaceful week next week.”
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