Southern View: September 04, 2018

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Tuesday September 4 2018 5
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Youth, community work rewarded
Fire rages, homes at risk
The Spreydon-
Cashmere Community
Board presented its
community service
and youth service
awards at the Old
Stone House recently.
Here are the people
and groups honoured
Group awards
•Citizens Advice Bureau
Christine Bridgman and
Iris Schembri have been
volunteers with CAB for
10 years, providing free,
impartial and confidential
information and support to
individuals city-wide. They
also promote CAB’s services.
•St Martins Voluntary
Library – The original
St Martins Voluntary
Library was destroyed
in the February 22, 2011,
earthquake, and the library
is now located in the new St
Martins Community Centre
building which was opened
in 2016. Christine Child is
the library’s book buyer
and has been a member of
the committee for 16 years.
Jeannie Moeller has given 10
years’ service as treasurer,
and applies for funding for
the purchase of new books.
Roma Murphy has been
secretary and a committee
member for more than
20 years. Gail Resuggan
has been library president
since 2010. Gail supported
the volunteers with the
clearance of books from
the earthquake-damaged
building through a series of
shifts, and worked with city
council staff responsible for
building the new community
centre to ensure that the
library space was fit for
purpose.
CONTRIBUTION: The Old Stone House gardeners were honoured at the Spreydon-Cashmere
Community Board community service and youth service awards.
•The Old Stone House
gardeners – Ten volunteer
gardeners at the Old Stone
House have a combined
service of nearly 150 years.
Since the acquisition of the
fire-damaged Old Stone
House and its surrounding
grounds by the Heathcote
County Council (HCC) in
1972 for use as a community
centre, HCC and later the
city council developed
the gardens – lawns were
established, trees planted,
garden plots created,
footpaths laid, and stone
walls built. The grounds
were maintained for the
next 45 years by volunteers
who worked on Monday
afternoons. The gardens
won awards in the annual
garden competitions every
year. With advancing age
and no newcomers in sight,
it was with sadness that
the volunteers decided to
disband last year. Walter
Puentener had given 27
years’ service; Mervyn
Osborne, 25 years; Gordon
Rudd, 20 years; Andrew
Kim, 15 years; Caroline
Murray, 14 years; Rosalia
Kim, 12 years; Rick Bolch, 10
years; Otto Bolt, 10 years;
John Cousins, nine years;
and Anne Wilson, four
years. Botanic Gardens staff
now maintain the grounds
around heritage buildings
including the Old Stone
House.
•West Spreydon School
Pool Committee – Fifteen
volunteers have served
on the West Spreydon
School Pool Committee
at some point over the
past 15 years, building two
new swimming pools for
their community. They are
Suzanne Brittenden, Adrian
Disseveld, Bill Earle, Jared
Fretwell, Joy Lalahi, Duane
Major, Olivia Megarry,
Mathijs Nieuwenhuijsen,
Cheryl Scanlan, Jason
and Stacy Silich, Nicki
Smith, Bridgit Veenings,
and Lauren and Nick
Yannakis. A new pool was
opened on February 19,
2011. Three days later, the
pool was destroyed by
the 2011 earthquake. The
weeds grew and the area
became derelict. Eventually,
members of the original
school pool committee
started considering
whether they could rebuild
the pool – at a cost
of $1.3 million. Labour MP
Megan Woods supported
them in securing funding
of $200,000. Heartened
by this initial grant, the
school was inspired to
begin the re-build. A new
committee was formed
and the next five years
consisted of working bees,
funding applications, and
fundraising. The generosity
of trusts, boards, individuals,
and many businesses
enabled the committee to
give West Spreydon School
and its community their
pool back. The new pool
was opened on February 22,
2018, seven years to the day
after the previous brand new
pool was destroyed. This
time, the pool is made of
stainless steel to withstand
earthquakes. There were
more than 12 working bees
involving more than 50
volunteers. A permanent
fixed hoist assists those
with restricted physical
ability to enjoy the pool
which is for West Spreydon
School families and former
pupils, and the wider
community, including nearby
schools.
•Whareora House of
Life – Norma Hampton
and Cyril Morris are
volunteers at Whareora
in Spreydon. Whareora
was gifted funding to
undertake renovations
to the community house.
Norma managed the
12-month project. The result
is a refurbished house that
will serve the community
for many years. Norma
represents the community
on the board of Whareora
Trust. She is also a volunteer
at the community lunch and
works in the second-hand
clothing shop. For four years,
Cyril has had responsibility
for Whareora’s community
garden which provides
vegetables at no, or low, cost
to the community. During
Whareora’s renovations, Cyril
worked tirelessly to ensure
the house was ready for
the many groups using the
facility.
•Turn to page 6
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