But our reservations were established as genuine.
For over the next two years that kiosk, even though built from 3/4 inch ply and securely screwed to a sub frame was broken into some 8 times - and with a cumulative cost in loss of stock and equipment  - in excess of $26,000. Fortunately our income flow always enabled us to have enough in reserve to do the repairs, to replace the stock and equipment that had been stolen - and soldier on.

But more particularly, over the period the income enabled us to rectify the defects in the DoC concept.

At the end of the two years - we had built a fortress, we had steel shutters across the opening window, a steel grill across the entrance door and a lock only capable of being blown off by a high calibre rifle at some considerable risk to the perpetrator.
The wooden construction lining was overlaid with high quality aluminium sheet donated by the Fletcher particle mill at Taupo because, amongst other things that the thieves did, was break a 3/4 ply sheet in half across it and come in through the wall. We can only assume that they used a crowbar and levered it out with a 5 tonne jack or jacks!!

We were by now having problems with sufficient volunteers who were happy to remain until dusk of an afternoon and provide cover for 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. With the reasonable income flow through the summer we were able to build up reserves and remedy the break-ins to the kiosk.
So we took a gamble and obtained a six month job subsidy from the then Employment Service and employed a young lady for afternoons and evenings for five days a week whilst the volunteers filled the other nine time slots.

The first placement was not a success but the next two proved a great success one of which did all our ordering and accounting, became a Trustee and is a total gem.
We were also very fortunate that another of our volunteers put his hand up to continue the day to day supervision of the kiosk and become our Mr Fix it.

The volunteers worked largely for love, for enjoyment and for community spirit. Once we were able, we started to give them $5 petrol vouchers for each visit and increased this in time to $10 for the minimum 11k round trip
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