Orange Tongan Community drive raises $50,000 after monster charity drive at The Robin Hood Hotel

An estimated 250 people attended The Robin Hood Hotel on Sunday, March 13, in droves of support for Tonga, after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai underwater volcano erupted on January 15 and generated a tsunami to follow; leaving people without clean water or electricity and some homes and food crops completely destroyed.

Unable to connect with friends and family for several weeks, Orange Tonga Community group banded together immediately, in a bid to collect relief and aid items to fill a large shipping container and send it to the overseas country - with shipping costs between Australia and Tonga estimated at around $15,000.

"Tonga is such a self-sufficient country - like with growing taro and cassava, those vegetables that they're used to having - and a lot of their food sources have been washed away," a member of the Orange Tongan Community group, Elise Finau explained in February.

Another member, Lee Otukolo also talked about how their extended family members, friends and others impacted, needed clothing and long-life food staples to eat.

"We need to pack items that are going to withstand being shipped over there, and that will hopefully be able to provide for them for a few months, at least," she said.

Now, having surpassed the funding target of $20,000 with the help of local businesses, community generosity and the unified strength of family, the group said it was overwhelmed with the city's support.

"We thought we might get maybe 150 people, but we had 250 adults and a lot of kids," group member Elise Finau said.

"We got so many people at the door getting tickets and bidding in the silent auctions; people were just really kind and making donations. It was so good, it exceeded our expectations completely."

Three pigs were amidst the sea of supporters, along with singing and music by the Orange Tongan Kava Club and traditional dancers, both locally and travelling from Sydney.

"We had the Hungi cooking underground with a few pigs on the spit and a Kava circle for people to have a taste," Mrs Finau said.

"We also had so many people saying how welcomed and comfortable they felt from the start with the dancers and music playing, and it was so packed that it was tight to move around or for anyone to keep a seat. There was face painting for the kids and it was just an amazing day."

Some of the charity drive's donated items in the auction ranged from fully-signed National Rugby League (NRL) jerseys, local artist paintings, an ANZAC memorial photograph and local wine and dine packages from supporting businesses in the city, such as The Parkview Hotel and See Saw Wines, to name only some.

"Woolworths ended up giving donations of flour, rice, pasta and water along with fruit platters and bread rolls for the day yesterday as well, it was so good," Mrs Finau added.

The group will soon meet to share additional funding across Tonga, with discussions to include potential donation packs to those recently impacted by the Lismore floods.

"Everyone really came through with all of the raffles and donations, people were so lovely," Mrs Finau said.

"We have so many people to thank for their generosity and support."