North Canterbury News: January 25, 2024

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North Canterbury News, January 25, 2024
Celebration time ... Jack Becks, and his wife Mignonne, Allan Gill, Kaiapoi Bowling Club
President,(far left), and Kevin Smith from Bowls NZ, (far right).
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Bowling milestone
Fifty years continous membership of the
Kaiapoi Bowling Club by Jack Becks, was
celebrated at the Kaiapoi Club Outdoor
Bowls recently.
Jack started playing bowls 54 years ago
at the age of 29.
He was amember of the KaiapoiClub
BowlingClub before he left for two years
to play elsewhere.
After two years away he came back to
Kaiapoi Club where he has enjoyed 50
years continuous membership since his
return.
Jack was club coach for 31 years, and
enjoyed alot of success on the greens.
Among his many achievements at club
level, Jack was part of the club’s winning
Champion­of­Champion Triples team in
2007­08,Champion­of­Champion Fours in
2015­2016,and with son Kerry in 2020, won
aCharter Club National title.
President Alan Gill presented Jack with
acommemorative trophy, and his wife,
Mignonne, with alarge bunch of flowers.
Kevin Smith representing Bowls New
Zealand was also theretooffer
congratulations and acknowledgement of
such alongstanding partnership between
Jackand the club.
The weekend celebrations did not end
there for the Becks family.
While this was all happening at
Kaiapoi, over at Burnside Jack and
Mignonne’s son, Kerry, was teaming up
with his longstanding mate, Paddy
Stewart, to take on all comers at the
prestigiousBurnside Pairs.
By the end of the weekend the Becks
family had another reason to celebrate as
Kerry and Paddy went on to win.
Everyone awinner
When the Hurunui Hoopsters took on
Police team, Hot Fuzz,inafriendly
basketball exhibition game, players
brought all their passion to the
court.
The result was awin­win for the
Amuri community in Hurunui
District.
The game, held in the Amuri
Gymnasium in December,marked
the end of acommunity basketball
league organised by the Filipino
team, the Hoopsters,for the Amuri
community.
‘‘We wanted to bring the
community back together as it had
been awhile since we had a
community gathering,’’ Hoopsters
player Trammart Penamante says.
Constable Damian Schuurman
says Hot Fuzz was made up of
representatives fromHanmer
Springs, Culverden, Cheviot, and
Highway Patrolbased out of Hanmer
Springs.
‘‘In true community spirit, with
some numbers down in the Police
team, the Hoopsters lent us some of
their best players after half time.
‘‘While tactics like that might not
be good for league rankings, they
build community spirit, with the
exhibition match cementing another
successful year of collaborative
partnershipbetween Amuri’s
newcomers and migrants, and the
wider community,’’ Hurunui District
Council’s Welcoming Communities
facilitator Natalie Paterson says.
Ms Paterson says although on­farm
dairying in remote rural areas
comes with its fair share of
socialisation hurdles, Amuri
continues to thrive as awelcoming
community that cherishes its bond
with its migrants, and newcomers,
through these social events.
The large Filipino community in
the Amuri Basin are known for their
community gatherings and their
hard workethic, Constable
Schuurman says.
‘‘This was agreat opportunity for
us to engage with them, let off alittle
steam and aheap of sweat. I’m
hoping we can make this ayearly
event.
‘‘Community events like these are
agreat way to connect with the
community, meet new people, and
show them that we are more than
just the uniformwewear. It can
break down alot of barriers. After
all, we arepart of the community
too.’’
Sandy Velmonte, amember of the
Hurunui Welcoming Communities
Advisory Group, says the exhibition
game ended with acommunity party
and traditional Filipino pinoy
games, attended by about 300.
Ms Paterson says sharing ameal is
an important way to connect
cultures and she thanked the
community for getting behind the
gathering, with Culverden Four
Square donating 10 bags of groceries
and Culverden’s MCE Asian Store
donating two hampersand three
sacks of rice. Hurunui Mayor Marie
Black says the event is an
outstanding celebration of energy
and diversity the Filipino
community brings to the Hurunui.
You can catch Hurunui Police
taking on Hanmer Thermal Pools for
agame of cricket on March 9, in
Hanmer Springs.
North Canterbury athletes excel at ColgateGames
The North Canterbury Track and Field
team had some great results at the
three­day South Island Colgate games
in Dunedin recently.
Over 1000 athletes attended the
event, with many personal bests, top
eight finishes, including avery special
moment from North Canterburysprint
champion Lily Morrison, in grade 14.
Not only did Lily receivethree Gold
medals in the 100m sprint, the 200m
sprint and long jump but was a
recipient of the Nick Willis Scholarship
Award.
Lily is arising star to watch as she
moves from children's athletics to
juniors next season.
The Colgate Games are held in
January every year and are made up of
two events —one in the North Island
and one in the South Island.
Started in 1979, it’s the biggest and
oldest athletics event for childrenaged
seven years to 14 years old.
The 13 medals won by North
Canterbury athletes
Lily Morrison ­Girls 14, 100m, 200m and
long jump, Gold.
Sophie Paterson ­Girls 14, long jump,
Bronze.
Alexander Jonathan­Boys 13, 1600m
race walk, Gold.
Cody Broderson ­Boys 13, high jump,
Bronze.
Jackson Atkinson ­Boys 12, discus and
shot put, Bronze x2.
Valentina Davey ­Girls 12, 1200m, walk,
Bronze.
Isla Edwards ­Girls 11, 1200m walk,
Silver.
Miriama Jonathan­Girls 11, 1200m
walk, Bronze.
Sybil Davey ­Girls 10, high jump,
Bronze.
Boys 13 ­4x100m relay, Farai
Musesengwa,Isaac Lyon, Alexander
Jonathanand Cody Broderson ­Bronze.
The team is now resting and competes
again in the Canterbury Club
competition on Saturday, January 27, at
the Nga PunaWai Sports facility in
Wigram.
Abronze finish ... Farai Musesengwa,
from North Canterbury, on his way to
helping his team win bronze in the Boys 13,
4x100m relay at the Coalgate Games.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
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