Doreen Evans spearheaded a fundraising project to help the community in more ways than expected
Lot 47 – A home the community built with such passion and positivity
In 2018 Cromwell St John were planning to build a new state of the art Ambulance Station to serve the Central Otago region. Each year local volunteers commit thousands of hours to provide essential first responder services for our communities when they are at their most vulnerable due to illness or accident.
When Doreen Evans learnt of St John’s plan, she believed that the Cromwell Rotary (of which she is a member) and Cromwell Lions clubs could lead a joint fundraising project. With the support of local tradespersons, businesses, and the community Doreen lead a fundraising project to build a home, with as little cost as possible, and sell it at auction. The aim – to help St John fund their shortfall on their new Station build.
Doreen was involved in a similar project in Invercargill where the $200,000.00 raised went to the Breathing Spaces Trust. Doreen was hoping to better that by involving the community more.
In early 2019 Doreen started to share her vision that by Rotary, Lions and the business community working together, volunteering time, skills, experience, products the community could help secure the future of St John. St John would then continue to support those in the community when they are at their most vulnerable. She was amazed by the positive responses she received.
Having decided this project was going to be a success, Doreen gathered a small group of Rotary and Lions superheroes who shared Doreen’s vision. They worked tirelessly for over two years to bring this project together.
The next step was to secure the 4 main pillars of the project being, the land, an architect, a bank and an underwriter to ensure there was no risk. Doreen says she was very lucky to have meet John Searle who was undertaking a development of what was the Top 10 Holiday Park in Cromwell, now Prospectors Park. Also, Jessie Sutherland, a local architect and Sue Bingham from SBS Bank. An underwriter was found who believed in the vision and thought there was little risk of the home not selling.
Having obtained Rotary and Lions approval to go ahead the superheroes got to work on organising the project. A decision was made early on to get as many businesses as possible involved. The idea being that by many working together, each doing a little bit, together something amazing could be achieved.
The build was split into 4 stages with a different builder taking charge of each stage. Many businesses, who would normally be competitors, joined together to provide products and services.
Doreen worked hard to ensure that every business involved was recognized. A website “Lot47.co.nz” and a Facebook page “Lot 47 Cromwell Community Project” were set up. Doreen was known to arrive on site taking videos showcasing businesses hard at work on Lot47. She also went to business premises making videos of products they were providing for Lot47.
Doreen wrote weekly articles for the Cromwell News keeping the community informed about what businesses were doing on Lot47.
Building consent was granted on 3 March 2021. Ground broke on 25 March with the foundation poured on 8 May. Frames went up 15 May with the roof going on 28 May. A Roof Shout took place to thank everyone who had contributed to date.
Progress was amazing thanks to Les Topping who project managed the build for Rotary and Lions. He liaised between the superheroes (who had secured all the businesses, services and products) and the businesses themselves ensuring they had a timeframe of when they were required on site. Les also troubleshot any potential problems before they arose.
Windows were installed 12 June with the pink batts and jib finished by end of June. Interior painting started end of July. The kitchen was installed and the flooring started going down on 5 September. Coloursteel cladding was fixed by mid-September. By the end of September the bathroom fittings, titles and carpet had been installed. The landscaping started.
On 8 October the FINISHED shout took place. The home was then staged ready for the first open home on 16 October.
The home sold at auction on 26 November 2021 for $1,205,000.00 on – WOW!
Doreen said it was an honour, and so much fun, working alongside so many Rotarians and Lions members as well as people and businesses from the community to make this dream fundraising project come true.
After all costs, a profit of $824,436.88 has been raised. A truly AMAZING result by a small but mighty community!
$243,000.00 was given to St John, being their shortfall on the Cromwell Station build costs.
$60,000.00 went to St John for a new health shuttle; and
$40,000.00 for a generator for the new St John Station;
$40,718.44 when to each of Cromwell Rotary and Cromwell Lions to distribute to the community for projects as they saw fit;
$28,190.98 was spent on supporting many in the community to undertake health related courses (example: First Aid Courses; Work Place Wellbeing) and purchase or maintain health related equipment. Cromwell Gold Club, Bannockburn Community Centre Hall, Cromwell Catholic Parish, Roxburgh Golf Club, Lowburn Hall all received AEDs.
$6,809.02 purchased 4 laptop computers for Otago Community Hospice for their Central Otago based Community Care Coordination team;
$14,019.85 was donated to Central Otago Health Services to assist with the purchase of a new patient transfer vehicle;
$100,000.00 “Topping Scholarship Education Fund” assisted 13 recipients with their training costs to become a health worker (nurses, doctors, paramedic, counsellor etc.).
$81,316.00 went to Cromwell Menz Shed to assist with the construction of a shed in Cromwell and the purchase of equipment;
$75,095.00 was used to install CCTV survivance camera around the entry points to Cromwell to assist the Police to prevent crime or obtain evidence of criminal activity;
$30,262.00 went to the Cromwell Bike Park Inc to assist with the development of additional bike track.
$25,000.00 went to Central & Southern Kids Education Trust to help fund equine therapy with students; and
$38,327.00 to Cromwell Primary School to fund audio visual equipment for their new hall.
The remaining $980.15 was used for companies office filing fees, DIA fees and a repair at the house.