Te Awamutu COMPUTERS, NOTEBOOKS, SERVICE, SUPPORT, SOFTWARE, ACCESSORIES Published Tuesday & Thursday THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016 407 Sloane Street, Te Awamutu Couurier P 07 871 3837 | F 07 871 3807 Your community newspaper for over 100 years EXTRA COPIES 40c E [email protected] | www.computeraid.co.nz Doing it tough for charity Grants given Rosetown Lions work hard during the year to raise money so they can donate to Students spending 40 hours in shipping container worthy local organisations. The club recently invited BY CATHY ASPLIN representatives of several community groups to a No power, no heating and very little food meeting to receive donations. while living in an bare metal shipping container. These included: Kory’s That’s the challenge a group of local Trust ($500), Schools’ students has set themselves for this year’s 40 Attendance Officer ($500), Hour Famine (June 10-12). Wheelchair Wagon ($500), The Te Awamutu Bible Chapel Ignite Youth Westpac Air Ambulance members are taking their sleeping bags, a pack ($800), Community Health of cards, bottles of water and a couple of loaves Shuttle ($800), Competitions of bread into the container and hope to bring Society ($200), Lions Cancer out an understanding of what Syrian refugees Lodge ($1000) and Te are experiencing. Awamutu Birthing Centre Group spokesperson Cameron MacCarthy ($800). has been involved in the 40 Hour Famine for a Rosetown Lions thank the few years, but this year he wanted to step out of public for their support his comfort zone. throughout the past year. “I decided we should try to replicate the daily life of some of these refugees — living on Pumped top of each other in small cramped spaces. Team Trainstation body “The idea of doing the 40 Hour Famine in a builder Mike Smith was at his shipping container came to mind when a leanest and meanest taking friend’s parent purchased a container. It got me thinking of the possibilities and a chance to out both the WFF (World raise as much money as possible!”. Fitness Federation) Masters As a group the students hope to raise $2500. category and Mr WFF To support them in this quest, search the Christchurch overall title. name of the person you would like to donate to In doing so, he qualified to at: www.worldvision.org.nz/40-hour-famine. represent WFF New Zealand The 40 Hour Famine has always been about at the Southern Hemisphere living in someone else’s shoes and this year is Championships on the Gold no different. Coast this Sunday. The Te Awamutu students are joining “It makes every hardship young people from around New Zealand who of the past 17 months worth it, are raising funds for the children affected by especially for my supporters, the conflict in Syria. sponsors, family and friends Funds raised during the 40 Hour Famine that do so much for me.” will go towards developing child-friendly Debbie McWaters was spaces in Jordan — home to more than 600,000 also part of Team Syrian refugees. Trainstation’s Christchurch The spaces provide safe learning leg, placing a highly credible environments where children can recover from the trauma of war through sports, arts runner-up in Masters Sports and play, restart their education, and rebuild Model. their lives in a supportive environment. Actress Kimberley Crossman and The Edge Smash! 20 host Marty Hehewerth have TC020615CA01 recently returned from Jordan where they IGNITE Youth members (from top left) Trent Robinson, Daniel Boyd, Bradley Gielen and visited Azraq refugee camp and met Syrian Rose Emmett, with Cameron MacCarthy (bottom left) and Jamiee Gielen (bottom right) as families forced to flee their homes. they organise items for their ‘home’ during the 40 Hour Famine. “It was the most eye-opening experience I’ve ever had. At Azraq Refugee Camp, which this might be home for a long while yet,” she Palmer and Adam Percival from the Adam has about 40,000 occupants with hundreds says. and Eve Show and Kimberley Crossman and more arriving each day, I saw how much of a Crossman and Hehewerth will join thou- TV presenter Shannon Ryan. positive impact the World Vision team is sands of Kiwis during the 40 Hour Famine “We invite Kiwis to dedicate just 40 hours of having on the quality of life,” says Crossman. weekend, including seven other celebrities their lives to helping Syrian children — “But I felt overwhelmed that this situation fundraising for World Vision. raising funds to help restore what they’ve lost, even has to exist for these families who don’t at The celebrity teams this year are: Marty things we often take for granted; education, a all deserve it, nor ever asked for it. Hehewerth and Steph Monks from The Edge sense of security and safety and most import- “I wouldn’t survive a night in a camp let Smash! 20; Grace Palmer, Jayden Daniels and antly, the chance to be kids again,” says alone having to come to the realisation that Reuben Milner from Shortland Street; Eve Crossman. • Eye Examinations • Optometrist in practice • Contact lens fi tting • Prescription Sunglasses • Safety glasses Mon, Tues Wed, Fri 9-5pm Thurs 9-7pm 335 Alexandra St, VISIT US AT THE Te Awamutu • 07 871 7741 FIELDAYS F77 & 79 www.teawamutueyecare.co.nz 2 Te Awamutu Courier Thursday, June 2, 2016 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CourierTe Awamutu Community Newspaper of the Year 2014 Council pensioner tenants pampered Your community newspaper for over 100 years. While we wait for Council after’ them that other pen- them that. Next they will want a fly- Circulated free to 14,055 homes through Te Awamutu to tell us more about the sioners do not have. Council tenants enjoy a ing fox installed for them so ‘perks’ that its tenants get I Council tenants have very good location with other they don’t have to get up the and surrounding districts. note a few comparisons. access to an exclusive com- like minded people as their hill to the library to read the CIRCULATION 14,055* (7136 urban, 6919 rural) Firstly, ordinary pen- munity hall at Te Awamutu neighbours. paper. It would be easy to get sioners who own homes are and possibly elsewhere. There are plenty of other accustomed to this. We welcome letters - preferably via email. They charged about $50 per week Both have access to a professionals able to assist I wonder how many still should be under 300 words and must have the for rates. Council tenants’ health shuttle and possibly a them as they do their rounds have enough change in their sender’s name, address and phone number. No rent includes potential wheelchair wagon. Both also to cut their toenails, clean pocket to buy a packet of fags? pseudonyms are accepted and names will only be rates. have access to an RSA cour- their homes, drink tea with Perhaps these are some of withheld in special circumstances at the discretion Council tenants with no tesy bus to bring them home them, perhaps cut their hair, the reasons why these tenants of the editor. Letters are not usually acknowledged other income are paid an from the watering hole when massage and generally pam- think that once they get the and may be edited, abridged or discarded. extra $65 per week in their they cannot drive. per them. pension, the rest of the world MANAGER pension that other pensioner Council tenants are virtu- Most importantly, these owes them a living? Alan Price property owners do not get. ally guaranteed a secure life tenants have numerous I have 11 years, and 153 [email protected] Already that makes the coun- tenancy as the Council is people to grizzle to about how days to wait until the red cil tenants $115 better off per unlikely to put their place up Grey Power are not carpet is rolled out for me. I EDITORIAL week. for sale. advocating enough for them. already have the application Dean Taylor (editor) Council tenants have a Other risk taking Some even have meals on form. [email protected] Council person who ‘looks landlords cannot promise wheels delivered. JAMES PARLANE Cathy Asplin (journalist) [email protected] Colin Thorsen (journalist) Pump help into small towns to Meeting move [email protected] ADVERTISING Dorinda Williams take the pressure off Auckland The Te Awamutu Continu- [email protected] ing Education Group wishes to acknowledge Allan Webb’s Ange Holt Auckland has a housing Auckland’s infrastructure Waipa is a bit lucky our generous and thoughtful in- [email protected] problem. Well that’s hardly were allocated to some of the growth is one of the strongest vitation to use the Regent Bookings news, its been brewing for a smaller rural towns that are in New Zealand but on the Theatre for their meeting on [email protected] while. It didn’t just happen struggling and industry other hand we don’t want to Wednesday, May 18. CLASSIFIEDS overnight. subsidised with tax relief to slowly force people out of the Holding the meeting in the Rhonda Oosterman, The unfortunate reality is move there may well be a district with rapidly climbing theatre was an innovative Tania Cortesi-Western, it has impacted on the better idea. house prices, high rents that idea, and totally successful. Julie Montague Waikato with house prices It would take the pressure impact on young families and Mr Webb’s address was [email protected] climbing and rents increas- off Auckland’s housing and the elderly or unaffordable extremely well-prepared, in- ing last year by an average roading problems and booster rates.