Helping others is a joy
There is no greater joy than helping others, one key message which filled the Waikari Community Hall at Wednesday’s Community Awards Evening.
The annual event run by Hurunui District Council is always a well anticipated occasion, a celebration which encompasses the Community Service Awards, the Youth Awards, and the MainPower Hurunui Environment Fund announcement.
There was a touch of a family affair amongst the Award recipients this year. The Youth Volunteer Award went to Samuel Bush, a 16 year-old who over the past 10 years has been involved in Civil Defence support, helping at local trail rides, is a member of the Waiau Volunteer Fire Brigade, and a valuable member of Hurunui Youth Council where he holds the Emergency Services portfolio.
“Samuel has maturity beyond his years when it comes to doing things in and for the community.”
His grandmother Judy Meikle received the Amuri Community’s Community Service Award, for her work in the area of environment protection, Plunket, the Amuri Ski Club, Waiau Primary School PTA, the local church, she has been a Justice of the Peace, Chair of the Waiau Citizens’ Association and is a member of the Amuri Community Trust. Judy has been acknowledged for her extensive roles with Women’s Division Federated Farmers, and the Rural Support Trust. She has also been a Ward representative, Deputy Mayor, Chair of the Environment Services Committee, and has until recently been on the assessment panel for the Secondary School Achievers Fund.
“Judy has given decades of service to the Hurunui District while living in Hanmer Springs and Waiau…. Large amounts of Judy’s work has been undertaken without the wider community realising her level of involvement.”
Returning to youth, the Volunteering for Youth Award went to Lee Copplestone, an art teacher at Hurunui College who has started an Olympic Weightlifting Club at the school which supports and encourages young people and teaches the importance of a healthy lifestyle. A member of the Hurunui Rangers Football Club, he runs the four to eight years-old competition which caters for approximately 50 children.
“The community would agree that Lee is going out of his way to try and improve life for kids in the Hurunui District.”
The Outstanding Youth Leadership Award was granted to John Stroh, who has undertaken plenty of work with youth in the District including his strong involvement in the Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs Programme. This has included providing driving mentorship and lessons, teaching about cultural awareness, and creating hands on opportunities to learn about biodiversity.
“Being available and willing to listen to the needs of the young people builds the strength in the relationship – this is when the magic happens . I am very grateful that John made himself available to support the youth through the Programme.”
The Special Mayoral Presentation was awarded to Amy Satterthwaite, one of New Zealand Women’s Cricket most capped players with a number of impressive statistics to back this. This right-handed medium pacer and left hand batter cut her teeth playing in Culverden, in the boys’ grade.
“Amy is an exceptional role model for young women, growing up in a small rural community having to play against the boys was no barrier to reaching her goals. Amy has dedicated her sporting career to cricket and has many awards to show for it.”
The Community Service Award for the South Ward Community was Jo Hassall, who has lived in Leithfield for more than 19 years with her family. She’s been an active member in a number of community roles including Playcentre and Amberley Netball Club, and additionally the Leithfield School Board of Trustees. Jo has been the Leithfield Village’s representative on the South Ward Committee for three years, and been part of the Leithfield Community Committee for 18 years, and is now Chair.
“She is welcoming and inclusive, believing that every single person in the village has an opinion that counts, no matter how long they have resided there.”
The Community Service Award for the Cheviot Community was Sue Hanna, involved in the Knox Church, the Cheviot Beautification group, Cheviot Garden Club, Cheviot Community Trust, Cheviot Community Health Centre, the Cheviot Cancer Support Group, she helped set up and is a driver for the Cheviot Community Car, is a support person for Victim Support. Sue has had extensive involvement in the Cheviot swimming pool, and the Cheviot Community Library.
“Sue has does so much for the benefit and betterment of the community she lives in, especially the elderly. She quietly offers and delivers help when she sees a need, but not for recognition.”
The Community Service Award for the Hanmer Springs Community was Pauline Bennett, for her involvement on the Community Board, being a valuable member of the Heritage Forest Trust, and her exceptional work such as creating a wonderful family activity in the sculpture walk. She has been a St Johns Ambulance volunteer, a Meals on Wheels coordinator, as well as a Hanmer Springs library helper.
“She is also known for her many good deeds assisting those in the community who need help, especially the elderly and the sick.”
The Community Service Award for the Hurunui Community was Geoff Olorenshaw, for his extensive work with Young Farmers, his roles with the Emergency Services even back at school when he was a Red Cross Disaster Relief Volunteer. He’s been involved in the Rural Fire Brigade and Search and Rescue. The United Rugby Club, the Hawarden Golf Club, Hawarden Waikari Squash Club, Peaks Hall, Hawarden Waikari Community Trust, Board of Trustees at Hawarden Area School, and Hawarden Licensing Trust have all benefited from his work. Geoff helped set up the North Canterbury Branch of the Child Cancer Foundation, is a foundation member of the Hawarden Menzshed, and was Chair of the Special Needs department at Hawarden Area School from 1994-1997.
“I enjoy it, it has been a lot of fun along the way,” he said.
MainPower Hurunui Environment Fund; ‘encourage and assist with voluntary work that benefits the natural environment…. on work that protects, restores or reinstates indigenous biodiversity in our District,’ was awarded to Caroline Elliot to assist the trapping project at Ashworths Ponds, the Jed River Catchment Project to help restore the natural structure and function of the Jed River catchment, and to Francois Bonny and Kate MacMillan to assist the removal of invasive toxic weeds and fencing of a dryland area in Broomfield.
The Hurunui Heritage Award, ‘to encourage and assist with voluntary work that protects, enhances, explains or restores significant heritage values in the District,’ was awarded to the Weka Pass Railway INC, to assist with the painting of passenger carriage A1733 to complete the restoration work done by the group.
Two posthumous Community Service Awards will be presented at a later date at smaller function with the families, remembering and honouring the wonderful work of the Glenmark Community’s Karen Duncan and Keith Berry.
The guest speaker to mark the evening was Hurunui District resident Sandy Velmontz, originally from the Philippines who moved to New Zealand in 2009 with her husband, shifting to Hurunui in 2010 from South Canterbury.
Sandy has dedicated her professional career and her voluntary roles to helping others, as this indeed creates the greatest joy.
“’It doesn’t matter where you will be, make a difference,’ is something I heard when I was studying, and I have remembered it.”
In 2008 her husband Joel lost his job in the Philippines, and he was offered a job in New Zealand in the dairy industry.
They arrived in Christchurch in 2009, a huge cultural change but one they were both excited about.
“There was plenty of land and cows, I asked my husband ‘Where are all the people?’”
Approximately 112 million people live in the Philippines, her home province of Bohol is the home to approximately 1.4million.
They moved to Hurunui in 2010, for a job on Medbury Farm near Hawarden with Dave and Brenda Hislop. They’re still there today.
Their tenure has involved the birth of their three children, their youngest child Alexa (now 12) experienced health issues and Sandy remembers fondly the huge amount of help and support their family received from the Hurunui community.
“Medbury Farm even sponsored my mum to come to New Zealand and visit us, and Dave and Brenda have been to the Philippines to visit our families.”
In 2013 the Philippines was hammered by Typhoon Haiyan, and a local fundraising initiative led by the local Filipino community, with the significant support of many in the Hurunui District, raised $5,000 which went to World Vision and Red Cross to send aid for the typhoon recovery.
This was the catalyst for the formation of the Hurunui Filipino Group, which Sandy is secretary of.
“There is a real focus around food, sport, gatherings. I was told once and do believe that no matter where you are in the world, never forget who you are.”
In 2017 Sandy and Joel received their New Zealand citizenship, a milestone they are very proud of.
Earlier this year the Hurunui Fiesta was held, an occasion “so everybody can meet everybody.”
It was a great event.
“My journey in the Hurunui District has been very pleasant, with great people and great experiences. I always say a simple wave or a smile can make someone’s day.”
Sandy’s tale was a superb fit for the opportunistic evening to celebrate wonderful people who live in Hurunui, and what they do for the community and the environment.
Mayor Marie Black presented the Awards, and expressed her gratitude to be surrounded by community members of such willingness and skill.
“Our strength is not ours alone, but it is that of our community,” she said, reciting a favourite message.
