North Canterbury News: June 10, 2021

OUR TOWN KAIAPOI
18 North Canterbury News, June 10, 2021
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2381957
Gary’slifetime of volunteering
By DAVID HILL
Volunteering in acommunity such as
Kaiapoi allows people to see the
difference they make.
Kaiapoi resident Gary Lang has
received aQueen’s Service Medal for a
lifetime of service to the community in
Southland and, more recently, in North
Canterbury.
Mr Lang and his wife, Denise, retired
to Kaiapoi 21 years ago and, since then,
has been active in various organisations,
including the Kaiapoi Volunteer Fire
Brigade, the North Canterbury Radio
Trust, Rangiora Rotary, and the Kaiapoi
RSA.
‘‘I enjoy Kaiapoi. Ithink it’s a
supportive community and those that
are involved in the community get a
reward from being involved.
‘‘The fire brigade and RSA folk are all
willing and giving, and their reward is
what they contribute.’’
Originally from Christchurch, the
Langs transferred to Invercargill in 1968
where Mr Lang worked for NZI
Insurance, later serving as manager of
the Gore branch from 1990.
When he retired 10 years later, the
couple decided to return to Canterbury,
and settled in Kaiapoi.
While in Southland, the Langs were
active in the Special Olympics
movement for more than 20 years, and
had abrief stint with the North
Canterbury Special Olympics
Committee.
Mrs Lang attended the 1995 World
Summer Games as New Zealand swim
coach, while Mr Lang was the New
Zealand team manager at the 1999 World
Summer Games.
‘‘We very much enjoyed being
involved in Special Olympics and we
still get the odd phone call from the
athletes we supported.
‘‘When you get to know them you
realise they are no different from the
rest of us and they need to be admired
for their ability to keep going with life so
cheerfully.’’
Mr Lang has completed nearly 37
years as afire service volunteer in
Invercargill, Gore and Kaiapoi,
including 12 years as the Kaiapoi
brigade secretary. He continues to
volunteer as asenior firefighter in
operational support.
‘‘I never thought Iwould make 25
years. You don’t have many 70 or
80­year­olds still involved, so I’m
privileged to still be in there.’’
He plans to stick around until the new
Kaiapoi fire station opens next year,
before retiring.
He recalls giving atalk on ‘‘do you
sleep through the siren?’’, in response to
community concerns about being woken
Happyhome ... GaryLang says Kaiapoi is agreat community in which to live.
by the fire siren.
Nowadays, firefighters can be alerted
via their cell phones and pagers, so the
Kaiapoi Volunteer Fire Brigade’s siren
is no longer used at night.
In 2008, Mr Lang was approached by
Owen Paterson to be one of the founding
trustees of the North Canterbury Radio
Trust, helping to establish Compass FM.
It first went to air during Queen’s
Birthday Weekend in 2011.
Mr Lang served five years as Kaiapoi
RSA secretary after having his arm
twisted by president Neill Price.
‘‘They were short of asecretary, so
Neill decided if Icould be fire secretary,
Icould be RSA secretary, and I’ve
PHOTO: DAVIDHILL
enjoyed being involved in that. Ionly
wish Ihad joined sooner.’’
He first joined the Gore Rotary Club in
1990, transferring to the Rangiora
Rotary Club 21 years ago.
These days Mr Lang is active in
distributing the Rotary booklet, Are
Your Affairs In Order?,which helps
people to ensure they have their wills
and affairs sorted out before they die. It
sells for $15, with the proceeds going
back to the community.
Other interests include involvement
in the Waimakariri branch of the New
Zealand Society of Genealogists, the
Waimakariri Combined Probus Club
and Kaiapoi Meals On Wheels.
2381063
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