Bay Harbour: March 20, 2024

Bay Harbour News Wednesday March 20 2024
10
NEWS
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Knitting for the good of her community
• By Dylan Smits
MARIE RHODES has spent
countless evenings knitting
since she was child. During
her retirement, she and fellow
knitters have sold goods with
all proceeds supporting quality
healthcare for Akaroa.
The 74-year-old started selling
knitted wares at street markets in
SALE
2017 as part of a broader mission
of fundraising for the Akaroa
Health Centre.
“I feel passionately about
Akaroa and Banks Peninsula,
and we need to have a really
good health system. I mean, I’m
getting closer to needing the
old people’s home myself,” said
Marie.
She is part of the Guardians of
Akaroa Health which was was
formed in 1991 by volunteers
committed to improving services
at the Akaroa Hospital.
After the building was
demolished due to earthquake
damage, the guardians started
supporting the replacement
health centre which opened in
2019.
Marie’s sales have raised more
than $70,000 for the centre since
2017.
The funds have been used for
art classes, to buy a wheelchair
van, televisions, bed tables and
low-rise beds, all with the goal
of improving quality of life for
the centre’s long-term elderly
residents.
Marie believes supporting the
retirement and health facilities
at the centre is a key way to keep
families and young people in
Akaroa.
“It’s important to keep the
community alive, so we can keep
our young people here. We need
young people to give the town its
vitality.”
Since early last year, Marie has
sold the knitted goods from a
small shop opposite Pot Pourri
on Rue Lavaud.
A team of about 20 volunteers
helps her run the shop and knit
the goods.
“Some people send in their
knitting. They’re from many
places in New Zealand. They’ve
had good experiences with the
health centre or their family has,
so they see it as a good cause.”
Marie said she could not
operate the knitting shop
without the efforts of others.
“We’ve got quite a few elderly
people who don’t get out much,
have got limited mobility, but
they can still knit and crochet.”
Her favourite items to craft are
blankets and children’s clothes.
“I do enjoy knitting very much.
I like playing with the yarn and
the colours, the creativity of it.
And it’s relaxing.”
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SALE gORE bAy
Pacific Ocean Views
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The shop runs on yarn donated
from the community.
“People who can’t knit and
crochet give us yarn, or volunteer
down at the shop which is very
helpful.”
The hardworking resident
expects the knitting operation to
run for many years to come.
“The health centre is absolutely
wonderful but there’s always
things that they need. These
things can potentially cost
thousands, so we do have to
keep fundraising to help make
people’s lives more comfortable.”
She is always looking for more
volunteers to help run the shop
or knit.
Interested people can visit the
shop during opening hours on
Saturdays from 10am to 3pm.
Marie was a recognised for her
work during the last city council
community service awards in
2021.
CRAFTER: Marie Rhodes runs a knitting shop on Rue
Lavaud with all proceeds funding the Akaroa Health
Centre.
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11th April 2024 at 2pm (unless sold prior)
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Contact
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the owners
Level 2, 79-81 Contact Cashel the sellers Street directly on
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8140
Att Kath Fox
Email: kath.fox@harmans.co.nz
ning,
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the
Contact the owners
Craig Thiele 0274323011 or gorebaywaves@gmail.com
Open Homes
Please see our Trade-me advert for viewing times.
12.30pm - 1.30pm Saturday and Sunday