418 Sloane St, Te Awamutu Published Tuesday and Thursday THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2011 7902737AA Circulated FREE to all households throughout Te Awamutu and surrounding districts. Extra copies 40c. BRIEFLY Youth Brass First fire, now flood playing here It is believed to be a first for BY DEAN TAYLOR Te Awamutu — a concert by the National Youth Band. As the world watches in disbelief The band includes local as flood waters ravage Australia, player Fraser Robertson and we are deeply saddened at the huge the concert takes place on personal losses — and reminded once again this century of the Friday, january 28 in the power and destructiveness of College Hall. nature. Admission is by door sales None of us ever want to suffer in on the night. More information this way, but flood, fire, earthquake in next Tuesday’s Courier. and extreme weather are affecting more and more people. Quilters offer For one former Te Awamutu woman and her family it means victims aid starting again — and for her it isn’t Quilt Groups in Te Awamutu the first time. and Cambridge are providing Rebecca Donaldson (nee Sloan) aid for flood victims in Australia. moved to Rocklea in Queensland Several ‘Quilt as you Go’ about four years ago with her blocks have been made to partner Brent and children Carlos send to Jan MacFadyen of ‘OZ (16) and Shilah (11). Comfort’ who pieces them This is the same suburb which together and distributes quilts featured on TV One’s Close Up on to disaster victims. Monday night — the flood prone Anyone who would like to suburb where you cannot buy flood help further can drop fabrics, insurance. About 14 years ago Rebecca, 18 quilts or quilt tops into month old Carlos and her then Stitch’n’Stuff or Te Awamutu partner lived in Te Awamutu’s Paper Plus for collection. Any Te Tomo Street. offcuts of low loft or quilt 85 Their house and all the con- batting would also be tents were completely destroyed appreciated. by fire. Anyone wishing to make the Last week the family was ‘‘Quilt as you Go’’ blocks needs fortunate to get some notice of to contact Quilters’ Patch the impending flooding of their Cambridge (07 823 5878). rented home. Spokesperson Bev Johnson The family had time to load of Te Awamutu is hoping to their double cab utility with obtain sponsorship from either their most personal possessions a freight company or some and move them to a safe location. other organisation to get the On the return trip they saved TC200111SP01 items to Australia. their new TV and washing REBECCA and Brent Donaldson’s Anyone wishing to send machine and a couple of special rented Rocklea home. direct may do to Heather pieces of furniture and lifted everything else as high as pos- have only been in Australia for four Govan, 73 Billinghurst sible before escaping the flood years, they don’t qualify for the Crescent, Upper Coomera, water to stay with friends in a Government’s flood assistance Queensland 4209 or Jan safe area. package. But she also reports the MacFadyen, 35 Trevaskis On a positive note they all positives — the fantastic spirit of Road, Kialla East, Victoria escaped. On the negative side the Australians (and Kiwis) helping 3631, Australia. everything left in the house was out in this time of extreme need and either ruined by flood waters banding together in an effort to help Shoppers give which all but engulfed their people rebuild their lives. home or damaged in the salvage By the time the family returned to miners operation. to their home the local fire brigade Progressive Enterprises’ Calling back to her parents in and volunteers had washed the mud supermarkets collected Te Awamutu, Brian and Linda and debris from the interior and $235,139.66 in donations from Sloan, Rebecca says the destruc- people turned up with shoppers for the Pike River tion is heartbreaking and the job wheelbarrows, spades and brooms Miners’ Trust Fund. ahead is immense. to clear the mess. ‘‘We would like to thank all She also described how once Despite the setback the family our customers who gave so the waters receded it was believe they made the right move. generously to this appeal. Their deemed alright for people to Rebecca has earned three support has been wonderful,’’ move back into their homes, promotions since joining Bunnings says MD Peter Smith. homes which stank of mud and CFP in Australia a year ago — and Brent water. FLASHBACK to July 1996 of Rebecca Gilbert and 18 month old Carlos is an electrician whose skills will be And because the Donaldsons outside their Te Tomo Street home which was destroyed by fire. very much in demand. PAYMENT Power Farming is celebrating the holiday season this year by offering a free ‘payment’ holiday until October 2011 on new tractors & machinery** HERE’S THE DEAL • Roof and House Painting 7930019AA • Rescrews and fl ashings 1. Pay 1/3 deposit on a new 4. Then choose to pay the remainder over either: • Chemical washing 7902743AA tractor from Power Farming • 12 monthly payments at 1.95% (total term 22 months) 2. Pay all the GST on signing • 24 monthly payments at 2.95% (total term 34 months) • New roof and gutters 3. Pay nothing further • 36 monthly payments at 3.95% (total term 46 months) • Qualifi ed tradesman ‘til October 2011 • 48 monthly payments at 4.95% (total term 58 months) • Full service UNBEATABLE FINANCE DEALS from This deal is only available until 28.02.11. *Normal lending criteria apply. **Conditions apply Benson Road, Te Awamutu • 870 2411 • www.powerfarming.co.nz 2 TE AWAMUTU COURIER, THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2011 Parachute music popular YOUR LETTERS Contamination avoidable An influx of an estim- ated 25,000 people will The Te Awamutu Events Centre groups use the main pool in addition to come to Waipa next Pool was closed late in the afternoon recreational swimmers. week to experience one for two days in a row (17/1 and 18/1) There are Aquacise classes, Learn of the largest music due to faecal contamination. to Swim plus the activities of the festivals in the Southern It is a regular occurrence during swimming and other clubs that are Hemisphere, the revered school holidays, in particular the cancelled at short notice whenever an Parachute Music Fest- Christmas holidays. This is not only incident of this nature occurs. ival. unacceptable, it is totally avoidable. The Council also needs to look at a Over the four days Parents need to make sure they cost-benefit analysis of the current one from Friday, January 28 toilet their children before they enter tank water filtration system and make at Mystery Creek, the the pool and it should be compulsory some hard decisions about whether crowds will be for all children under the age of five the current system and its design is entertained by over 100 years to wear Little Swimmers in indeed cheaper in the long run than international and order to minimise the risk of contami- closing off the main pool area from the national artists. nation. ‘toddler’ area. Headlining acts Any swimmer regardless of age is How many hours has the pool been include; Chris Tomlin, not supposed to enter the water for closed this year due to contamination Skillet, Stan Walker, fourteen days if they have had a bout and at what financial cost to the Elemeno P, Manafest of diarrhoea. ratepayers of the district? and The Lads. An education and public awareness It would also be interesting to To allow more people TC200111SP02 campaign is obviously needed. compare Te Awamutu statistics with to view the most popular CROWDS enjoy the music of band Late 80s Mercedes, who performed in the The design of the pool and its Waterworld in Hamilton. bands, the large grand- Palladium at the Parachute Music Festival at Mystery Creek last year. filtration system means that if there is Come on Te Awamutu, we have a stand in front of the a contamination incident in the beach first class facility that many other Mainstage has been entertained. flushing toilets and all necessary area, then the entire main pool needs communities would give their eye extended. A favourite feature at Parachute, amenities to reside onsite. to be closed for between three and nine teeth for, together I am sure we can do The worldwide the waterslide, is bigger and better Having over 92 hectares of land hours in order to clean the system so better than this! release of Parachute than ever and is the largest inflatable sets us apart from many other venues that public health is not at risk. Many ALISON TUCK Band’s new album ‘Love waterslide in the world. and naturally lends itself for super Without Measure is also Other anticipated additions sized events, like Parachute.’’ set to debut on the include; volleyball, paintball, picnics, The purpose built facility has been Mainstage during the a barn dance and a larger village area constructed with the premise of hold- Water our plants please Sunday evening of the to provide extra food and market ing and hosting full site events, in festival. stalls. particular outdoor concerts and To the person who pulled out and How mean and miserable to steal 2011 will mark the By hosting the Scout Jamboree exhibitions. took three of the Nandina plants from these plants, only planted in Septem- eighth year that the prior to the Parachute Music Festival, ‘‘Mystery Creek Events Centre is the Lyceum Club’s garden in Bank ber — you will have to water them Parachute Music Fest- the Mystery Creek Events Centre team the ideal venue for the Parachute Street, shame on you! well in this heat.