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Kiwi crew plots burial lot’s restoration

Friends, Kiwis, Kiwanians, lend me your ears. The Kiwanis Club of Gisborne, New Zealand, came to restore the dearly departed’s final resting places, not to rue the damages of nature’s wrath.

Undoing nature’s damage, New Zealand Kiwanis volunteers guide a heavy obelisk to its proper pedestal.

After an earthquake heaved the earth beneath Makaraka Cemetery, a family found their ancestor’s stone damaged. Their plea for a quick fix reached the Gisborne Kiwanians, who kindly agreed to restore the monument. Yet, upon arriving at the scene, they found not one toppled tombstone, but 20 or more.

Undaunted, they assembled the tools and team necessary to complete the job.
Graham Norris lent his forklift. A friend proffered a crane. Sixteen volunteers provided the muscles to maneuver the stones into place. The Historic Places Trust and Council sent representatives to ensure the job was done correctly.

“Some of the older headstones repaired were from the 1870s,” says club member Peter Ferris. “A lot of history is at Makaraka. If the tombstones weren’t repaired, the place would quickly fall into disrepair.”