Christchurch Earthquake
Residential Hill Suburbs Damage

Christchurch Earthquake Latest Updates

Sunday, 27 February 2011. 10.33am

23 properties were evacuated in Christchurch overnight due to the danger of falling rocks, Newstalk ZB reports. The homes affected were in Bridle Path Road, La Costa Lane, Maffeys Road and McCormacks Bay Road. (Source NZ Herald. Christchurch Earthquake Latest Updates)

Inside a Christchurch Earthquake Affected Mt Pleasant Home

Sunday, 29 April 2012. 3:33pm

View from La Costa Lane, Mt Pleasant

I finally get the courage to go for a drive around one of the residential hill suburbs. Not as a rubber necker, but for a more justifiable reason. I was helping a North Island Response Team member retrace his steps from when he had come to our city’s aid in February 2011.

One of the tasks his team had been given on 25 February 2011 was to assess homes in Maffeys Road and La Costa Lane, where a big aftershock had been centred.

We arrived in the area and parked. Ahead of us was a home that had literally been shaken apart. Fourteen months later and it was still there, open to the elements, its contents visible to the world. We got out of the car and before I could get my head around this vision, someone emerged from a nearby house and headed towards us.

Turns out I knew them. I looked at the house they’d come out of, and it matched images in my mind from childhood. This was a good friend of my parents, and we’d come here many times for parties when I was a child. I explained why we were here today.

This couple are part of a group of friends that were like aunts and uncles to me. As I wish to respect their privacy, I’ll refer to them here as aunt and uncle (although they are no relation). They’re in their mid seventies, have worked hard all their lives to get their house mortgage free and save a good nest egg to retire on.

I’d seen them several times since February 2011. I knew their story. Their house was another casualty of the quake and was unliveable. The cat had chosen to stay here and guard the property, whilst they rented ‘temporary’ accommodation elsewhere, with their other cat. The temporary accommodation allowance from the insurance company had run out two months ago, so now the retirement nest egg was being nibbled into.

Childhood Revisted

“Come and have a look at the house,” uncle said. “We’re just up here feeding the cat.”

We had a look at the outside. It looked bad. Lateral spreading on the footpath and driveway. Extensive cracks in the walls and foundation. Aunt said to me, “Come and have a look inside.”

I didn’t feel too comfortable with the idea, but here she was, warmly inviting me into the building that had once been their home. I gave a nervous laugh. “I have my hard hat in the car. Do I need it?”

She didn’t seem to hear me. She was, for want of a better word, excited to be showing me around. After all, everyone with a story loves to have an audience, and I was not only an audience, but it turns out, part of the story!

Once inside, I was torn between feeling shock at the extensive damage to the house and revisiting the memories of childhood that were being triggered. It’s probably been thirty years since I was last here, but it all was scarily familiar. It felt weird. Memories that had been vague ghosts were now very real.

Aunt is talking. “Uncle was standing here in the kitchen. The wall oven jumped out of the cabinet, broke the chain and landed on the floor beside him, just missing him. I was standing in the doorway here, terrified.”

She laughs the laugh of nervous relief. If you’re an earthquake survivor you’ll know the laugh. It says “We survived. It was terrifying. But we are not going to make a big deal because we know you went through this hell too.”

The tour was fast. Extensive stair case cracking in the concrete block walls. Wide gaps in the window frames. Cracks in the roof. I truly didn’t feel safe inside and turns out my friend didn’t either.

We went out onto the deck.

“The water from the pool emptied everywhere,” aunt continued. Uncle bent down and lifted up a piece of the deck. “Remember this?” he asked me.

I shook my head. “No.”

“We’d just finished the deck and invited everyone up for a pool warming party,” he said. “You dropped a new bracelet your father had given you, and we had to cut this piece out of the deck to retrieve it.”

Oh dear. A memory I had forgotten. “Are you sure it was me?”

“Yes,” he said. “You threw such a wobbly. And as it was from your dad, well, we must have decided it was valuable enough to cut the deck open.”

Opps. How embarrassing. I had a history of losing bracelets then making people go to great lengths to retrieve them (thank you, late 1970s Stewart Island Police!). I had to believe uncle. After all, you certainly would not forget the child who made you cut open your brand new deck now, would you?

Survivors of the Christchurch Earthquake Remain Upbeat

We left not long after. The cat had been fed. The tour given. Aunt, Uncle and I had glossed over the reality during the visit. We were all rather blasé and even sort of joking about the impact of the disaster, as we tend to do in Christchurch these days.

But reality is another broken home. Lives changed forever. Incredible stress for yet another couple in the twilight years of their life. Most of my parents’ friends, including my parents were facing this scenario. Work hard all their lives, get mortgage free, build up a reasonable retirement nest egg and now… homes and businesses destroyed, capital being eaten into as we live in limbo waiting for decisions to be made by the authorities and rebuilds or repairs to begin.

At the back of my mind ran the usual question: “Would they even get to see their home rebuilt and have a chance to enjoy looking in it?” I hoped so.

As we began to retrace my friend’s response team steps, he spoke, his tone very perplexed. “How can you recover from losing a home of 35 years? How can you all be so upbeat about it?”

It made me realise how abnormal the interaction was between me, aunt and uncle. We have to be. It’s the only way that we can survive and try to find a way to move forward out of this nightmare we have landed in. All the same, it was nice to see our nightmare through the eyes of someone who hasn’t lived it, but has still voluntarily been part of it.

Is Profiteering From the Christchurch Quake Impact Ethical?

2 May 2011. 1:33pm. My mother phones aunt, who is no longer feeling so upbeat. She tells us that the landlord of their temporary accommodation has just given them an eviction notice. Despite being excellent tenants for well over a year, the landlord has decided their rent money (approximately $400 a week) is not enough. He (or she) would rather rent the place out on a short term basis and is going to charge $125 a NIGHT!!!

Yes. You read that right. True story of a landlord’s profiteering greed at the expense of good, honest and hard working people. How ethical is it for people to do this?

Photographs of the Christchurch Quake Destruction

I didn’t feel comfortable photographing people’s damaged homes at the weekend. It is too voyeuristic and personal. Even taking photos of buildings that have been damaged from the earthquake tugs at my heartstrings, because  I know many of the owners and tenants personally. However, these are in the public domain and do tell quite a story. If you would like to check them out, please visit my Facebook Page HERE.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Deb DonnellSome Rights Reserved

Fifteen Months’ Absence From Sumner, Christchurch…

What Changes Will I Find Here?

New Year's Day 2011

I’ve finally found the courage to return to Sumner, 459 days after my last brief visit, when I had dropped friends off at the cruise ship in Lyttelton Harbour. It all seems like forever ago, spending the early evening up by the lookout in Lyttelton, waiting for the ship to leave. I had got a little bored, so after a brief wander up by the Time Ball Station, I decided to take a quick drive to Sumner, then return to my post in Lyttelton. Fortunately I had my camera that day, so I had taken photo after photo of the area, most of which is now gone thanks to the Christchurch Quakes.

I’d been there five days earlier, having stayed New Year’s Eve with a friend on Richmond Hill. I’d spent most of New Year’s morning wandering around Sumner, taking photos, climbing up onto Cave Rock, and welcoming 2011 with all the hope and dreams one does every New Year’s Day. Sadly most of these were shattered for me 53 days later.

The Hills No Longer Loom Solid

7 April 2012

As a child, I learned the poem For A Child, by Dennis Glover (You can read it here on my post from 6 March 2011). I still recite it when I drive to Sumner, and today was no different, even though my heart was heavy. Just like any good traveller, I had become familiar with the images of my destination before embarking on the journey. I’m talking about the images that have emerged since my last visit. Cliffs collapsed, houses hanging off the edge, containers lining the road, that sort of thing.

To finally see them with my own eyes was sobering. It made things so much more real. I wandered along the Esplanade, the wind whipping the spray off the ocean. I took photos, then wandered back to Cave Rock, then down along the beach to Shag Rock (or has it officially been renamed Shag Pile?). So many thoughts and memories ran through my head.

Afterwards, I headed to Coffee Culture to write my Cafe Reflection. Here’s what emerged:

5:04pm

It’s rather sobering to see the damage first hand. Hills that once loomed “as solid as a tearoom tupenny bun” fractured and lying shattered behind container walls, houses snapped in half and clinging to the edge. Along the way, seeing Countdown Ferrymead gone. New World Redcliffs gone. The road severely damaged.

And Wistfully The Children Sit

The surf is wild today, symbolic of the wildness of our earth. Nothing the same. The damage to the land is so visible here. This place is nothing like the place I left fifteen months ago. Then February, and I’ve not had the courage to return until now. Part fear, and partly because I didn’t want to see what has happened to my beautiful Sumner first hand.

“Cave Rock is made of toffee”

Well, not really. Hard to believe I had climbed all over it at the start of last year, praying that there’d be no big aftershock whilst I was up there. Now it’s all fenced off, too dangerous for anyone to go near.

“And the sea of lemonade”

Walking along the beach, the sea was definitely not like lemonade. So much scum and debris in it. Very unappealing.

“And the little waitress wavelets are always on parade”

The wavelets seem to have been beaten into submission by the wild surf. High tide and freezing cold wind off the ocean is the order of the day.

“When the cars roll down to Sumner on a Sunday.”

Oh dear. The rolling that the cars do these days is not what Dennis Glover had in mind, I’m sure. The roads are so up and down, the roll is more a waddle! 30km speed limit, no stopping and stay alert for potholes and sudden dips.

Dennis Glover’s Sumner is gone. My Sumner, like many of the houses on the edges of the broken cliffs, is doing its best to hang in there and survive.

“And wistfully the children sit”

Familiar territory in Sumner

Yes, wistfully indeed I sit in the cafe, remembering what it was like. Those who love Sumner the most, the residents, bravely remain, living on hills that have betrayed them. I have friends who have lost houses, I can see the gaps where once they were, and that breaks my heart. Even though I have never lived here, I have so many connections here through family and friends, with homes and businesses in the area, that I feel like this has happened to me too.

Sumner is a Christchurch destination I have very much missed. I’m glad I found the courage to return. Yes, the damage is heartbreaking, but like the rest of quake damaged Christchurch, the community is brave and resilient. I will return again soon, and hope that you will too!

Kia Kaha, Sumner!

Deb & Shaky Redzone The Kiwi

Shaky was discovered lost and frightened in the CBD Redzone. Find out more on his Facebook Page CLICK HERE.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Deb DonnellAll Rights Reserved

The Old Christchurch is Going…

But Resurrection Is Still A Long Way Off

Talking about religious beliefs is something I normally avoid, mainly because it is a deeply personal thing that becomes controversial and emotive when shared in public. However, with the rather huge “elephant in the City” (our earthquake damaged Christ Church Cathedral), it seems we can’t really avoid exposing our belief system to some degree if we want to share our opinions with our community.

To be honest, I don’t really have a strong affiliation, one way or another, for any particular belief system. Over the years, I have come to form my own belief system of sorts, based on irratic church attendance upbringing, and from my early teens onwards, searching for what fits well with me. Common themes between cultures and religions have always interested me, and so I tend to look for the symbolism in those more prominent occasions we as a Christian based culture tend to celebrate.

Therefore, Easter has always felt a little odd to me. Not the story as such, but the time of year that we celebrate it in the Southern Hemisphere. We are bombarded with images of spring and rebirth (eggs, baby chickens, rabbits, daffodils), whilst all around us, in the real world, it is autumn and winter is already breathing dark and chilly down our neck.

So today I woke, and charged with honorable task of housesitting the Chch EQ Photos community based Facebook page whilst the admins are away, I had to decide what would be an appropriate message to to share with their members. I didn’t feel like talking about death, loss or destruction. I personally have had enough of that over the last 19 months. I wanted to share a message of hope and positivity. After a search online, I discovered that a New Zealand Herald Journalist felt the same way, and so this became my theme.

However, it is Good Friday, and it got me really thinking about the story of Easter and what is Good Friday really all about. Doesn’t seem appropriate to call it “good” when the focus is on the execution of Christ (complete with earthquake at the moment his spirit left his body!). That in turn got me wondering if we could parallel that story to the one of our city. Especially as I feel that we are still in the period between death and resurrection!

So, here goes (and please note, my intention is not to offend or upset anyone, it is just to get people thinking about how things are now in our city in a slightly different way).

Our City Was Sacrificed to Help Save Others

Remember back to 4 September 2010? With all that has happened in the past 19 months, I tend to forget how it felt at 4:35am when our world shook. I couldn’t even write a journal back then. It took me a long time to find my voice. I looked back through them today, and the earliest I managed to write anything was January 2011.

“In the dark, I fumbled for my torch, only to discover that everything that was normally on the bedside cabinet was on the floor. I’d had a glass of water and that had tipped out. Everything was wet. I found my torch, which is part of my alarm clock (people had teased me when I had bought it, but who was laughing now, eh?) and turned it on, not sure what to expect. Probably walls off, roof collapsed. I don’t know. All the furniture had moved, drawers were out and on the floor. It looked like a disaster zone. Funny that.”

Reading that today, I had a laugh at my naivity. Even more so at the following:

“In my office, directly across the landing from the bedroom, I could see an eerie light. I didn’t have a clue what it was from. And at the landing a bookcase had fallen forward, dumping its contents on the floor and all the way down the stairs. Dumb, dumb, dumb! But who had ever really expected all the warnings to come true? Fix, Fasten and Forget. Sadly too many of us had forgotten before they fixed and fastened. Wrong order. The house shook again. I screamed. Stairs blocked and all I wanted to do was run. Oh hell!”

But despite us thinking it was hell, it wasn’t really. It was a nice soft warning for us. It gave us time to learn from our mistakes, to count our losses, to mourn a few buildings and possessions and count ourselves lucky that no one had died.

February 22 was a whole different story. We were plunged into darkness in the CBD and other parts of the city. We lost 185 souls. Many more were injured. Buildings collapsed. Those who could fled the nightmare of the central city and left it in the hands of the brave rescue workers, made up of trained and voluteer individuals, most of whom had no idea what they were getting into.

Nearly fourteen months on, we are still counting our losses, with new announcements daily over demolitions, businesses and homes under threat and people getting more and more stressed out and frustrated by the lack of answers and direction. We keep talking about resurrection and rebirth, we crucify those who are in positions of leadership or decision making, and hope for some miracle to occur.

I sat down and started writing a list of all that has gone. But in a nutshell, we have lost entire communities, including the CBD and the symbolic heart of the city, our Cathedral. Realistically resurrection of our city is still many years away. Those impacted by what has happened have scattered around the suburbs, the country, or the world. Christchurch as we once knew it will never ever be the same again.

And here is where our sacrifices in the past nineteen months, and in the months/years moving forward will help others. We are starting to see the flow on effect throughout the country. Friends in other cities are telling me of businesses being evicted and buildings being urgently demolished, or earthquake strengthened, based on what has happened to our city. They grumble, but start to understand when I say people’s lives are far more important than buildings or even businesses!

Let’s hope it won’t be too little too late for others should disaster strike, as it was in February 2011 in our own city. Let’s hope that those who lost their lives because of the Christchurch earthquake did not do so in vain.

And as for resurrection… I’ll share my thoughts about this on Sunday and how it relates to our city. In the meantime, why not have a look at the Chch EQ Photos Facebook Page and take time to take stock of all that we have lost in the past nineteen months?

Have a safe Easter weekend.

Deb Donnell

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Deb DonnellAll Rights Reserved

Has Your Been Land Zoned TC3 because

of the Christchurch Quakes?

I know I haven’t posted for a while. I think I’ve probably had a bit of Post Trauma Stress from the Christchurch Quake, so have been focusing on self-managing that. A few things triggered this. The anniversary of 22 February and graphic photos being posted since from the CBD that triggered details I’d buried. The demolition of the 150 year old building that had housed our family jewellery business for 35 years, and kept us safe on the Day. Visiting the demolition site on the last day of the Cathedral Walkway. Moving into temporary premises with another business, adjusting to new routines and site sharing!

One of the hardest things to accept from all this, though, is the fact that my five year plan has had to be dramatically readjusted to allow for the limitations placed upon me with the land zoning. I still have no official decision made of the future of my house. I’ve unofficially been told it’s a rebuild, but my neighbour, who’s home is attached to mine, has been advised hers is repair well under EQC cap. The only thing that we know for sure, to be honest, is that our land is zoned TC3.

What does TC3 Zoning mean?

From the CERA website:

Technical Category 3 (TC3, blue) means that moderate to significant land damage from liquefaction is possible in future significant earthquakes. Site-specific geotechnical investigation and specific engineering foundation design is required.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for homes in Technical Category 3 (TC3) that require repairs to foundations or need to be rebuilt. Foundations designed for homes in TC3 will be site specific and may involve deep foundation piles.

Site-specific geotechnical investigation will identify the best foundation design for your property to reduce the risk of injury to people and damage to your property in future earthquakes.

Welcome to TC3 Limbo Land

It’s a very hard concrete pill to swallow! Every piece of information that I come across about TC3 land points to one thing… no one has any answers, as yet!

We have to wait until they do before we can have our homes repaired or rebuilt. The latest EQC Newsletter (28 March 2012) states that they are still running tests at QEII to make decisions on what type of foundations will be acceptable on our land:

EQC is to undertake ground testing at QEII Park to investigate methods of increasing resistance to liquefaction damage. This follows testing done at QEII Park recently by the Department of Building and Housing, together with Tonkin & Taylor. The results from these trials have been encouraging and EQC’s testing will aim to explore the feasibility of the trial methods when undertaking house and land repairs.

The testing is due to take place at QEII Park in the first two to three weeks of April.

This adds to our frustrations. We talk among ourselves. We share what information we have to hand. We know that each individual TC3 property has to be specifically site surveyed… and the latest I’ve heard is that we have only a handful of specialised drilling machines to do this in Christchurch! More are being brought in from overseas, but when you do the maths… a handful of machines… tens of thousands of properties… you realise that we will NOT have answers on our land for the next year, at best guess.

Now, I am NOT an expert on any of this… I’m just living this nightmare along with the rest of the TC3 landowners. I’m doing my best to keep informed, and to adjust my personal five year plan accordingly. I am fortuante that my home is still liveable, whereas others are not so lucky.

Keep Breathing and Enjoying Life

As hard as it is to accept, if you own a house on TC3 land, you are here for the long haul. My best advice I can give is to make the most of a challenging situation. Don’t let the negative aspects control your life… learn to control them! Make your home as pleasantly liveable as possible, and when it all gets too much, take some time out and escape to the more pleasant parts of town to clear your head and restore your sense of calm!

Find fun things to do that will take your mind off the nightmare aspects of our lives. Hang around with fun, creative and positive people. And access all the support that is available to us.

You may also like to download the St Albans News Articles from Nicky Wagner MP and Di Lucas of www.lucas-associates.co.nz on TC3 Zoned land – Click on the link to download the  TC3 Land St Albans News

We can get through these challenges and at the same time we can make the most of our lives and the opportunities that are here in this city.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Deb Donnell

Acknowledgements: St Albans News, Di Lucas, Nicky Wagne more...

Some Rights Reserved

Christchurch Quake destroys Mitchells City Hotel

High Street and Colombo Street Junction. Circa 1884. Source: Burton Bros. Image: Christchurch City Libraries File Reference CCL PhotoCD 2, IMG0010

Mitchell’s City Hotel was constructed in 1862 on the Triangle corner (later known as Cab Stand corner) of High and Colombo Streets). This makes it one of the city’s oldest buildings to become a casualty of the Christchurch Quake.

My connection with this building started in 1975, when my father purchased Adcocks Jewellers, and changed the name to Donnell Jewellers. This became my second home growing up, especially once my mother started working in the business too. It was a lovely old building, often overlooked, and sadly in more recent years referred to as “The KFC Building”.

Donnell Jewellers was the oldest tenant in the Triangle Chambers. It was with a heavy heart indeed that my parents, niece and I walked away from our city business home on 22 February 2011. We knew deep inside that the Triangle Chambers would not survive, and the announcement by the landlord in November, to us, was just a formality.

Soft stripping and deconstruction started mid January, and the diggers arrived the week of the one year anniversary of our very traumatic last day of trade from 281 High Street, Christchurch.

This poem is my tribute to what I fondly refer to in my book and conversations as “Our Building”, the Triangle Chambers (originally the City Hotel). Thank you to all who worked on her over the years and kept it doing what she should do – preserving the lives of all who were inside her during the Christchurch Quake and letting us escape safely.

Triangle Chambers Building

 (City Hotel 1862 – 2012)

Corner of Colombo & High Street

After the February 2011 Quakes

Your past… is a mystery

One-Five-Oh! years of history

From Cab Stand Corner

To the dark days that made us mourners

What are we to do

Have we got the strength to get us through

The loss of our building?

For me it was more than bricks

It was the place that made people’s lives tick

It was my Dad’s one obsession

His High Street possession

So much we had to lose

One Killer Quake… maybe we’ll get through

And not lose our building.

Triangle Chambers housed Donnell Jewellers

Over the years kept everyone safe

Close to the Christchurch Cathedral

The Triangle Chambers was our place.

This is OUR HOME.

The place where The Donnells are found

Sixty years Dick had on High Street

Thirty six with his own shop

It is all I’ve ever known

From when I was a tot

This is OUR HOME

Where my parents can be found

Grant MacKay Digger attacks our original workshop above Colombo Street.

Don’t know if I can hold on

Don’t know if I’m that strong

Don’t know why this feels so wrong

Now the city comes crashing

And still life goes on

When will there be no time of sorrow

Maybe all this is just a game

Maybe just a bad dream

At times too hard to believe

We’ll go driving into town

Down Colombo round The Square too

To see our lovely old building

Then there will be no time of sorrow

Then there will be no time of pain

When will there be no time of sorrow?

Guess it is the end of the game.

♥

© 2012 Deb Donnell (CafeReflectionsBooks.com)

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Deb DonnellAll Rights Reserved

The City After the Christchurch Quake

Poem from a Response Team Member

My friend, Pete Seager, came down with his Tauranga based NZ Response Team to help our city after the 22 February 2011 Christchurch Quake. The experience of walking through our abandoned city moved him enough to write this poem, which he has very kindly given me permission to publish here.

Thank you, Pete, for this and also thanks to you, your Response Team, and the other 19 New Zealand Response Teams who came to our aid in Christchurch. This thanks also extends to the International Response Teams who dropped everything in their own lives and flew from all corners of the earth to help us in hour disasterous hours of need.

We know that the Christchurch Quakes have impacted on all of you as much as it has in those who live here.

As Pete and I often share with each other: big hugs, thumbs up and smiles to each and every one of you!

Warning: Reader discretion is advised.

Manchester Street, 26-Feb-2011

No birdcalls, no voices, no engines.
The buildings silent all around.
The heartbeat of a once vibrant city.
Now on life support.

Mountains of bricks and rubble!
The thought goes unspoken.
How many died here?
How many were injured?

Broken facades like giant dolls houses.
Chairs, tables, curtains, pictures.
Revealed for all to see.
But there is no one to see them.

Only two engineers and myself,
walking up Manchester Street.
Subconsciously quiet.
As if any noise will disturb the silence.

The scuffing of boots sounds strangely loud.
The radio bursts into life.
A warning about more road closures!
Then itself returns to silence.

Ahead of us, looking north,
the piles of rubble only get bigger.
The Hotel Grand Chancellor,
leans over all, brooding silently.

We are not quite alone!
In the distance, another team.
Responder and engineers.
On the same task as ourselves.

We walk quietly, subdued.
Awed by the power of nature.
Keen to return to base.
To await the next tasking!

© 2011 Pete Seager

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Deb Donnell

Acknowledgements: Pete Seager

Some Rights Reserved

Overcoming

Christchurch Quake Trauma

Through Self-Empowerment

This comes from my journal writing today, and a writing prompt that I drew at random.

Dirty Demo a Traumatic Reminder

The survivors of the Christchurch Quakes (and other natural disasters around the world) have been through one of the, if not the most difficult and traumatic experiences of their lives. We have been, and many still are, in deep emotional pain. Every day we are bombarded with negative fodder that is injected into our psyche, and fuels the thinking that we believe are our deepest fears and anxieties. We have come to believe that we are inadequate to look after ourselves and that which we deem important to us.

There is nothing else in this world that has the potential to highlight our biggest insecuritues like a sudden and unexpected natural disaster. When Mama Nature decides to launch a surprise attack on us, we are 100% helpless in the moment! Whether that moment lasts a few seconds, a few minutes, or a few hours, we have very little control over the outcome.

In the 22 February 2011 Christchurch Quake, sadly 185 people had zero chance of survival. I want to dedicate this article to them, and perhaps take liberty by saying that this article is FROM them. I personally do not know anyone who died in the Christchurch Quake, but I do believe that those I have learned about would, if they could, say something similar to what I am writing.

The Canterbury Earthquake

Dateline: 4 September 2010. 4:34am.

We, the people of Canterbury were sleeping soundly in our beds, unaware that we were about to be given the most violent wake-up call of our lives. This was our initiation into living in a volatile earthquake zone. At 4:35am didn’t know what had hit us, or at that point appreciate the value of the gift Mama Nature has presented us.

We were blind. We were 100% helpless. All hell was letting loose around us as everything in our homes crashed and smashed to the floor. It was impossible to do anything to escape the sheer violence of a 7.1 magnitude earthquake.

What a sobering moment for all of us. We thought we were the ones in control of our safe and secure world until that point. But in 60 seconds we discovered that we are nothing but insignificant parasites on our host planet – the Earth.

Our Deepest Fears Are Triggered

How did it make you feel? To lie helpless in the dark, many of us alone, not knowing if we would escape alive and uninjured?

No one can understand that feeling unless they too have experienced it. And how each of us experienced our initiation test, and each one that follows, varies. Some have the mental and emotional skills to cope, whilst others don’t.

My observations since that day, as well as my own experiences and strategies I am applying to my own recovery, has made me aware that everyone is coping as best as they can with the survival and coping skills that they have learned over the years.

Many of us do not yet have the KESWIN (Knowledge, Experiences, Skills, Wisdom, Inventiveness or Natural Abilities) to manage our own trauma recovery, and I dare to say it, the health care professionals we access do not either. It’s not their fault – they were never trained for this type of event, and so now we are all involuntary lab rats as psychologists observe how we are coping in their case studies.

We Are Pioneers

We must keep reminding ourselves that this is a situation that very few places in the world, in our life time, have experienced. We are making history each and every day as we live through this mass trauma event. Every day we face a new challenge, a new fear, or our learned anxieties are triggered by aftershocks, news articles, conversations with well meaning friends, decisions by authorities who are as lost and overwhelmed as we are.

We must remember too, that there is no one to blame for what has happened, except our planet, and then accept this, and the fact that for us to overcome our fears and anxieties, we must take back control of our psyche.

How well you do this will depend on how capable you are at not only managing your recovery programme but learning new coping strategies along the way.

My goal is to share with you my own KESWIN and provide a safe and positive environment where you can explore, through writing and socialising with supportive and understanding people, how you are really feeling, and the develop some positive strategies to help you overcome your deepest fears and anxieties. In time, you will become self-empowered and able to return to being back in control of your world.

Ten Negative Emotions:

According to Anthony Robbins, author of Unlimited Power and Awaken the Giant Within, there are ten negative emotions which are really signals that you need to take action to improve your quality of life. When I read through the list I knew that every individual impacted by the Christchurch Quakes has, and still is, experiencing these emotions to some degree.

1. Discomfort
2. Fear
3. Hurt
4. Anger
5. Frustration
6. Disappointment
7. Guilt
8. Inadequacy
9. Overload or Overwhelm
10. Loneliness

Like Tony Robbins, I believe that these negative emotions need to be reframed in your mind and turned into positives. A good way to start to do this is by looking at everything you have experienced and felt as a wondrous gift. The gift really is the opportunity for you to work on yourself, to develop and grow by learning to respond in positive ways, rather than react in negative ways.

To Honour Those We Lost

With the milestone first anniversary of 22 February 2011 approaching, we must realise that we have had our opportunity to grieve for all that we have lost, but now it is time to turn that grief into action. To honour those who did not survive, we can identify and pursue and even achieve our dreams through self-empowerment.

The first step to doing this is to doing this is to identify what you are feeling, and then choose to take the next step, and the next, and the next. This is something that I would be privileged to help you with through The Small Biz Writing Diamond Mine & Manufacturing Centre.

The Small Biz Writing Diamond Mine & Manufacturing Centre has self-driven, group and individual mentoring courses available, which are based on the Diamond Writing System.  I have developed the Diamond Writing System for non-writers who want to share their knowledge, experiences, skills and wisdom through writing. Whilst this was not originally developed to help the survivors of the Christchurch Quake and other natural or personal disasters, I have started to develop material that is specific to your needs, based upon my own experienced.

Please note: I am not a qualified psychologist or medical professional. I am a writer with a deep interest in self-empowerment. My key strength is that I have survived natural and personal disasters and used writing based strategies to overcome ALL of the ten negative emotions outlined above.

My own experiences prove that one of the best weapons to fight this war with our unseen enemy are the self-development tools. By getting to understand and know your own strengths, limitations and breaking points, you can start to learn how to be best prepared for the unknown. And we have plenty of the unknown in Christchurch, don’t we?

The Diamond Writing Mine

If you feel that the coping strategies you are applying at the moment are not helping, and are open to exploring the Diamond Writing Programmes that I am offering, then please join the Diamond Writing Mine & Development Centre to find out more. Membership is free, as is access to the Diamond Mining community and the first two stages of the Diamond Writing System (Formation and Ejection).  I would love to get to know you and your disaster story, and help you to recover the confidence and courage you had before it happened.

Please Click HERE to join.

You can also Contact Me to find out more about the Diamond Writing System or discuss in person how it may be able to help you.

Wishing you a full recovery of your life and emotional well being!

Deb Donnell

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Deb DonnellSome Rights Reserved

Every day is a Shocking Reminder of

Earthquakes in Christchurch!

The Painted Room, Colombo St 22 Sept 2010

After watching the Shocking Reminder documentary about the Christchurch Earthquake on Prime TV last night, I had a number of people share with me how watching this (or not!) made them feel. So this article is for everyone who is feeling damaged, anxious or afraid right now, or just feels sad, numb or are grieving for what we have lost.

I understand exactly how you feel! Especially regarding how much my life has changed, how much is limited by decisions and circumstances out of our control, and the fact that all that has happened has cost me dearly in many ways – my routine and community, my job, my house potentially a rebuild, a business I had part ownership of, as well as the inevitable distancing between friends and family members who are struggling to understand why I’m not the same person.

My low point came after Dec 23, lying alone in the dark, with those friggin 5s that kept happening in the night. It was the darkest, loneliest, lowest moment of my life. My entire support network was out of town, and I was left to face the fears and anxiety on my own. At that moment, I realised that no hero or organisation was coming to rescue me, that there was no quick fix or fairy godmother going to appear and wave a magic wand.

Everyone Overwhelmed, No One To Blame

At that point, I realised how massive this situation here in Christchurch is. That everyone (even those we are looking to for answers and/or leadership) are totally overwhelmed and at breaking point. No one, and I mean NO ONE, really has a clue about what is going to happen or how we can solve the multitude of problems that are facing us.

We have to accept that recovery and rebuild will be a long time coming. We have to accept that everyone – you, me, our friends, family, colleagues, leaders, CERA, EQC, CCC, the government, GeoNET, Insurance, etc – are doing their absolute best they can with the survival skills that they have… and every day we are all working extremely hard at improving the knowledge and trying to find a way forward.

Some Ideas To Rescue Yourself

The best advice I can give myself, you and anyone else who is feeling damaged or overwhelmed… is this:

• Avoid throwing yourself a pity party, or playing the victim role, or getting caught up too much in other people’s dramas.

• Take time out, assess what you still have – the positives in your life.

• Look at your Knowledge, Experiences, Skills, Wisdom, Ideas and Natural Abilities (I use the anagram KESWIN for this).

• Search for beauty and happy memories. Take time to revisit and reacquaint yourself with parts of the city and suburbs, even the areas damaged beyond recognition… and look for something, anything, that indicates that life does regenerate and nature can have a gentle, loving side.

• Surround yourself with positive, supportive and caring people and avoid those who make you crazy with their negative traits, including lack of empathy or willingness to try to understand. If someone tells you that you are nuts, and to harden up, then I suggest you limit your time with them!

• Start looking at what YOU can control in your own world. Restart an old hobby or begin a new one. Learn a new skill. Make new friends. Take time out for yourself to exercise, meditate, regenerate. Buy happy DVDs, listen to upbeat music, read and/or listen to motivational books. Decorate your house with beautiful things that you have fallen in love with and can take with you if you need to move out, like art, cushions, duvets, even kitchen appliances

Take Time to Mourn & Also To Live

Most of all, allow yourself to cry, to grieve, to mourn for what you personally have lost… but do not wallow in that grief. Give yourself a time limit each time, then get up, and do something that I have suggested above.

Even if all of these things feel fake or hollow or empty… just keep on bringing this positive, beautiful stuff into your life, because one day you will wake up and start to feel more alive again.

The more you focus on controlling what surrounds you, the easier it gets, until one day, you find it easy to see the beauty that is still here, you find that the aftershocks do not scare you so much, you understand that the dark is just an absence of light, but the light is there at your fingertips (keep a torch with you at all times)

If you are alone, or feeling lonely, then start to be loving to yourself. Being alone is one of the hardest thing for us to be at peace with. It takes time to realise that love is a feeling that YOU control and create and that feeling is something that is enhanced by the people, objects and situations around you.

When I started to understand this over the New Year holidays, everything changed for me. I now find it much easier to cope with everything that was getting me down before and making me feel damaged… I’m not saying I am upbeat and positive 100% of my time. I still have challenging days… I still cry… I still feel heartbroken over all that I have lost, but I do find it quicker to ‘bounce back’ and face the reality of the world around us. I find it much easier to accept that there is so much that I cannot change, and have stopped waiting for someone to notice me and rescue me!

Take Back Control Of Your World

To paraphrase my beloved mentor, the late Jim Rohn: The same thing that has happened to you has happened to us all. It’s not what has happened to you that determines the future, but it is what you do about what has happened to you that will determine your future.

In other words, you have the freedom to choose how to respond to all these ugly events out of our control.

You choose who controls your life, your happiness, your power…

You choose to surrender everything to external sources… or you choose to turn inward, to reach deep inside, to find the strength I know you have within you to accept the situation we are all in, and to tell yourself that you know you will be okay, because you are not only a survivor… but you are a veteran who has made it this far, and will make it to the end.

When The Earth Shakes (And It Will!)

As I was writing this, the earth began shaking. Yup, it’s scary… cos in that moment we don’t know what is going to happen… how big it will be? Our heart beats faster… we freeze, we assess if we should move. The house rattles and shakes… the cat looks at me, then runs to her safe zone upstairs (crazy cat) whilst I’m saying to her (and myself) it’s okay… it’s going to be okay, we are okay. And then it stops.

So what now? I carry on typing, because the danger is past. The house is still standing. I am still in one piece. The power is still on. Nothing to panic about now. The cat comes back a few minutes later, she’s not worried either. That’s the thing we must remember. Once the aftershock has past, well, we all know the drill now right?

Retrain Your Mind

It is important that we learn to control our emotions, that we retrain our minds to give us positive, reassuring messages, to push aside the fear and anxiety and negativity that has taken over our city.

I suggest that you walk away from all that… do not let people force feed it to you. If they do, then turn off the radio, the tv or the internet. Close the newspaper or magazines or books. Tell people who you are communicating with to STOP.

If they insist of continuing along that path, ask them to STOP again and say “Thank you for sharing your fears and anxieties with me. Yes, we all know what COULD happen… I am 100% prepared for what COULD happen, and that is enough for me. Now I want to get on with living my life and moving forward as best as I can within the limitations placed on us by this massive disaster.”

When you start doing this, you will actually be setting a good example for them too. You may even get them starting to think about their own thought patterns, and maybe even influence them to change.

Use the Resources We Have Access To

If you are really struggling with regaining control of your life, then please access resources that have been set up by the various organisations to help us. You may like to start with looking at the list on Rebuild Christchurch’s website.

Feel free to ask any questions or make any comments on what I’ve written above. If you have specific situations you want to talk about, go for it, and together we can create strategies that will empower you and everyone here to get back the control of our emotions and our lives.

Help others and you will also help yourself!

Hugs

Deb Donnell

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Deb DonnellSome Rights Reserved

The Christchurch Quake Veterans
Are In Emotional Turmoil

Shattered Hopes and Dreams

The Christchurch Earthquake Veterans are in emotional turmoil as we approach the first anniversary of the Mass Trauma Event we survived on 22 February 2011. This is evident at all levels, from the negative feelings of anger, exhaustion and frustration shared at yesterday’s protest outside the City Council building, through to comments openly shared on Facebook, and the confidences personally given to me through private conversations.

How much more can we taken? I wonder, and also, more importantly, How can I help you turn these negative feelings into positive, productive ones?

Last night, in a closed group I have set up on Facebook, we all collectively collapsed to the bottom of our worry jar, and cried together. A rather strange feeling considering this was done online, and we are scattered around the city, the country, and even across the Tasman. People shared their fears and worries and heartache, and naturally my heart broke a little more. The last thing I read as I drifted off to sleep was a message from Deon, saying we need more positivity in our city.

The Moment Our Lives Changed Forever

It has been 17 months since our lives changed forever. Until that moment in time, most of us were blasé about the fact that our city would ever experience a natural disaster to the extent that we had. Even after that terrifying early wake up call, we thought that would be it. One big shake, a few aftershocks, then we could pick up our contents, our hopes and our dreams, easily repair the damage, and then get back to normal.

Sadly this was not the case. As I listen to the latest inquiry into the building collapses, it reminds me of how angry I was that the buildings I personally perceived as dangerous were not cordoned off to keep our people safe. And on February 22 my anger was proved to be right as those buildings in Manchester Street, Colombo Street and Cashel Mall turned into hot spots. I have guilt over this in particular, but at that time, I felt I was a nobody in the city, a voice that was not heard even when I did try to voice my concerns to the appropriate people.

Who Has the Answers to Our Questions?

And this is the problem we are facing now, as a city. We have no one to turn to that has the answers to those questions that are there in everybody’s mind. You know the ones that some of us dare not to even voice, and wnat to tell others to shut the **** up when they bring the topic up.

What we all really want to know is “When will it all end? When will it all get fixed and put back together like it was before? When will it be safe to go to sleep at night? And who is responsible for this whole mess anyway?”

We can’t march onto Mama Nature’s doorstep, and voice our anger and frustration to her. She doesn’t exist in any form, I’m afraid, except as the planet we live on. So instead we turn on scientists, the government organisations, our city leaders and each other. We feel they have failed us, that the people we chose to be our rocks have shown their true selves – that they, too, are only human.

And it’s not just our city council that have disappointed us. It is our significant others, our parents, our family, our friends and even ourselves. I tend to take on an observer role a lot. I sit back, I listen, I read, I process it all, and then it comes out in writing.

We Are Human Beings Being Human

And what I am observing very clearly is that we are all shaken with the realisation that we are only human, and as a human, we are very fragile, helpless, and not at all in control of our destiny  like we hoped we were. The men, in particular, are overwhelmed and ashamed that they cannot provide for and protect their partners and their children. The women are disappointed that the ones they counted on could not do this, and also feeling extremely helpless that they cannot shelter their children from the harsh realities of life.

We lost so much on February 22. We lost family, friends, our homes, our businesses and most of our historic buildings in the city (as I do final research for the book I am only just starting to realise how much we lost there!). But the worst thing of all is that we all lost our hopes and dreams we had been working on. We have had to stop and do a full reassessment of life, and this is not an overnight process. It takes a long time to create and pursue a dream.

Strive To Be The Best You Can Be

Rather than dwell on what we cannot do, it is time to start looking at what we can do as individuals. It is time to start picking ourselves up off the floor, to start creating new dreams to replace the old. To look at opportunities we may never even have considered before, and to do what we can to make ourselves feel stronger and more positive, then reach out and help others do the same.

Because the true goal of being a Human Being is to be the best you can be. You are a work in progress, you are given new lessons and challenges every day, and this does not stop until the day you die. If anything, you owe it to those who lost their lives on February 22, to continue pursuing the ultimate goal.

A Positive Story From a USAR Team Member

This article is not going to end as I originally intended it, because whilst I am writing, my friend, Pete Seager, who was in the Tauranga/Bay of Plenty Response Team  that came to our aid, shared a story about one of his experiences whilst he was here.

“Here’s my positive story of the morning. This was when I was down in Christchurch towards the end of the deployment. We had arrived at Latimer square and were going into the catering tent for breakfast.

One of the Chinese rescue team was sitting on his own outside. He looked a bit glum. By this point, everyone was feeling tired and a bit jaded (2 March I think).

A little while later, as I was coming out, he was still sitting there, still looking glum. I thought perhaps he was missing his family or feeling homesick. He was very young, perhaps mid 20′s!

I thought what can I say to say thanks for being here and what he was doing.

So I gave him a thumbs up and grinned. He smiled back!

Some gestures are universal.

Have a nice day everyone. “

Three Positive Practices for Christchurch Quake Veterans

Pete’s story reminded me of what I used to do, pre the Christchurch Quake on February 22, when I raced to the day job feeling like it was Ground Hog Day…

I would walk down Cashel Mall on my way to work, and try to make contact with people passing by and smile (even though I didn’t feel like smiling). Most were looking so stressed and worried about their day, but the minute they saw me smiling at them, I could see their moods change.

That AMI advert was so true – a smile really is contagious.

So here’s Challenge Number One to you.

First, I am giving you a big smile and a thumbs up.

Now it’s your turn to do the same to the people around you. Sure, they may think you are mad and that the 10,000 plus shaking has really loosened the screws, but what the heck! They’ll start smiling, and that’ll start someone else smiling, and before you know it, you’ll all be feeling a little stronger and able to keep the negativity at bay just a little bit longer.

I also recommend the following two exercises:

Challenge Number Two:

List five positive things that has happened since the earthquakes for you personally. For me it is 1. I am alive, 2. I have matured, 3. I have formed some amazing new relationships with people I didn’t know before, 4. I have found my voice, 5. I am reaching out and helping others help themselves.

Challenge Number Three:

If you have if you have significant others in your life (partners, children, family, friends, work colleagues), then make sure you take time today to stop, smile, and ask them how they are doing. And also make sure that you really do stop and listen to their answer! You don’t need to offer any solutions. Just listen, and then give them a big hug and a smile.

Please visit my Facebook Page and share the responses you have to any or all of these challenges. Thanks and let’s make our day amazing.

Deb Donnell

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Deb DonnellSome Rights Reserved

The Christchurch School of Gymnastics

Wants To Land On Their Feet

The Christchurch School of Gymnastics has been badly impacted by the Christchurch Earthquakes. Located in a building in front of the QEII Sports Complex, it is now in danger of having to close their world class gymnasium. Please help them to land on their feet by providing financial contributions. No amount is too small! Details on how to do this are at the bottom of the page, so please scroll down if you want to help and don’t have time to read the letter from the school below.

This school not only provides valuable sporting opportunities and facilities to the children of the eastern suburbs of Christchurch, I know that it also happens to serve the wider community. I have a special interest in helping them out, because two of my nieces developed their trampolining skills here long before the September 2010 earthquake, and were, I’ve since discovered, trained by my friend, Kendra. Once again proof that Christchurch is a small city, because I’ve only known Kendra since May 2011!

Letter From The Christchurch School of Gymnastics

QEII Park
P O Box 18-827
Christchurch
Ph/Fax 03 388 6616
Website www.chchgymnastics.co.nz
Email avril@chchgymnastics.co.nz

January, 2012

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

Supporting the children of the eastern suburbs in achieving sporting excellence

We know you are committed to the rebuilding of Christchurch.  As part of that commitment we would appreciate your help in ensuring that the children of the east of Christchurch have access to sporting opportunities and facilities.

The Christchurch School of Gymnastics (CSG) is currently the only sporting facility operating at QEII Park.   CSG offers gymnastics and trampoline classes to approximately 1200 members from toddlers to adults and includes New Zealand’s top competitive gymnasts.  In addition, over 9000 Canterbury children annually have access to gymnastics via our school programme.

Our world class gymnasium has suffered substantial earthquake damage and our membership base has been eroded due to families in the east leaving Christchurch.  The December quakes have made the location of CSG less certain.  However, we are determined to continue to operate, repair or move and grow our membership again.  At CSG we are passionate about gymnastics and in particular helping children engage and reach their sporting potential.  However to do this we need support from the community and business.

Attached is information about the Christchurch School of Gymnastics and the programmes that we run.  The club is a charitable entity, so all contributions are tax deductible and will go directly to supporting your choice of the following initiatives.

Our funding requirements fall into the following categories

• Building – we need help covering our estimated $100.000 insurance excess.  We may also need additional funding if required to relocate.  It is our intention to stay east of the CBD if at all possible.
• Gymnasts – there is the opportunity to support talented local gymnasts whose families have suffered financial hardship over the last year.  There is also the opportunity to support gymnasts in travelling to national and international competitions. Or you can help us by sponsoring development programmes to engage more young people in the sport.
• School programme – as our facilities are not at full capacity our goal for 2012 is to take our gymnastics programme directly to the schools.  In this regard we need support in terms of a vehicle (sign-written of course) and funds to support this programme.
• Overheads – whilst we work to engage more gymnasts help with maintaining our world class coaching talent is required.

Four levels of sponsorship are available:

«      Bronze – $1,000

«      Silver – $5,000

«      Gold – $10,000

«      Platinum – over $25,000 – please discuss with us if you want to make a bigger contribution.

Sponsors are recognised in the following ways:

«      Acknowledgement on our website and to our members via newsletter & our yearbook.

«       Plaque on the wall in the gymnasium (over 200,000 visitors a year)

«      Certificate of appreciation for your office / wall

«      Media release

More tailored recognition would be available – please discuss with us your wishes.

We would appreciate your help now.  If you require any further information or would like to visit our facility to see how you could help in person, please call 388-6616 or 021 2505099 and we will arrange a time to show you around.

If you would prefer to simply send a cheque please complete the following, or internet bank to Westpac Eastgate, Christchurch  03 1591 0125730.00.  We will send back a receipt and acknowledgment certificate with our sincere thanks.

Kind regards

Avril Enslow MNZM
Executive Officer
Christchurch School of Gymnastics
021 2505099

(Please note there is a form to fill out which I haven’t included here for sponsorship $1,000 and over, and I also do not have the attachments of the classes, but you can find this information on their website www.chchgymnastics.co.nz or contact the school and/or Avril as listed above!)

How to help if you don’t have a spare $1,000!

I know many of us in Christchurch have very little disposable income at the moment but would like to donate a few dollars, and there are also those who want to help our city recover but are living in other parts of New Zealand or overseas. So I asked Avril what you can do.

She replied:

“I do know that donations to the Earthquake appeal can be made and donors can specify where they want it spent, so naming us would be good! We are recently registered as a Charitable Entity too so that should help.”

To donate to the Earthquake Appeal, click on this link.

Buy A Flipping Brilliant Cook Book

Earthquake Fundraiser for Gymnastics

My friend Kendra also advises me that the Christchurch School of Gymnastics have put together a Flipping Brilliant Cook Book. You can buy this on Trade Me – Click HERE and enter  “Earthquake Fundraiser for Gymnastics – Cookbook” into the search box . Details about the auction:

Buy on Trade Me

SUPPORT THE CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOL OF GYMNASTICS AT QEII, CHRISTCHURCH

The Christchurch School of Gymnastics is the top gymnastics club in New Zealand. We teach gymnastics and trampolining from tiny preschoolers to adults to high-performance athletes.

We are located at QEII Park, Christchurch, and are currently the only facility in the park still open. We have incurred damage to our buildings, and require repairs above our insurance cover.

As an earthquake repair fundraiser, CSG members have created this cookbook of thier favourite recipes. The cookbook has 60 pages of fun recipes, including a celebrity submission from Julie Seymour, Silver Fern (Julie’s children have all been members of our club).

Please help support our facility so we may continue to strive for sporting excellence through adversity!

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Deb DonnellAll Rights Reserved