Vmail ISSUE 33 OCTOBER 2015 HIGH TEA REUNION ALICE GRIBBEN SEMI FORMAL HELLO DOLLY PRODUCTION 1ST XI HOCKEY Learn to prize what is of value Villa Maria College - 21 Peer Street Christchurch • T: +64 3 348 4165 • E: [email protected] • www.villa.school.nz FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Past Pupils and sweet treats. Our guest speaker, past pupil Jenny Harper, Director of the Spring is here! It is the season of new Christchurch Art Gallery captivated beginnings. Fresh buds bloom and those present with an account of the animals awaken and the earth seems to Gallery’s earthquake damage and the come to life again. For me the blossoms project being undertaken to strengthen it. at this time give me much pleasure as I Thank you Jenny, you couldn’t hear a pin drive through the city. drop while you were speaking! Our new event for midyear, the HIGH Thank you to those who assisted in any TEA and TOUR was a wonderful way to make this event so enjoyable and experience for the 74 past pupils who to those past pupils who supported it. It came to the Villa auditorium to enjoy was lovely to see so many new faces and a Sunday afternoon in the company of we look forward to seeing you again. Our fellow past pupils. The tables were a thanks also to the PTA and I certainly delight to see, set with beautiful china hope we can work together on events in and tea and coffee served in silver the future. pots. We were waited on by members of the PTA under the guidance of their God Bless chairman Maarten Loeffen and were Debbie Frank served delicious sandwiches, savouries President Memorial Book The idea has been put forward to High Tea establish a Memorial Book recording the names of VMC past pupils who have died. The book would be held in the College Chapel/Prayer Room. Between now and the Centennial we are gathering the names and date of death of past pupils. You can email the information to our Alumnae Coordinator Clare Bell – cbl @villa.school.nz Dates to Remember 2015 Mother/Daughter/Grandmother (Leavers’ Breakfast) 22 October 7.30-8.30am College 5th Friday 30 October Chateau on the Park, 5pm This will be our last ever 5th Fridays! They’ve been running for 10 years so join us to farewell this event. Committee Meeting 28 October 7pm College meeting room 2 ISSUE 33 | OCTOBER 2015 OUR ALUMNAE “My school was in a mountain village same core Mercy values, community called Yashima and I travelled two hours sense and educational excellence.“ each way by train every day,” she says. “My favourite subjects at school were “I was perhaps the first non-Japanese English, Latin, French, History and person to visit! Certainly I was a curiosity RE,”says Mary. “I think I enjoyed them to everybody there. I had a fabulous time because my teachers were so fascinating and we all learned a lot from each other. they brought the subjects alive. They At the end of my two years the whole spoke so passionately about places and village had a big farewell party for me events that I was determined to go and and the biggest farm in the area honored see them for myself.” me by naming their biggest and most prized cow after me!” “Always treat yourself and others From Japan Mary went to London with respect. Always surround and worked as PA to the Chairman of Mary Putnam (nee McCarthy) Sanyo who didn’t speak any English at yourself with good people.” VMC 1982-1985 all! “My role was to accompany him to Mary also shared some great words of all his business meetings and events Mary has had a rich career history that wisdom for our current Villa girls: And (including dinners at the flashiest places has stretched the globe! For the past be a good friend. Spend time with people in London), and translate for him. When ten years she has been a producer for who encourage you and want the best for his friends came from Tokyo, I was their RadioLIVE, producing news and talk you. Avoid petty gossip and jealousies. tour guide around the UK. So...while I back programmes. She says it’s an They spread unnecessary bad will. If you was ‘working’ I was also lucky enough incredibly rewarding career and she’s can’t say anything good about someone, to see a great deal of the country. My been fortunate enough to work with don’t say it at all. Accept the unique husband was from England and our three some of the best people in the industry. differences in everybody and embrace daughters were born there.” “I currently produce for Mark Sainsbury, them. Always! Life is a journey and each Alison Mau, Sean Plunket and Willie Mary and her family returned to new experience, whether happy or sad, Jackson and occasionally for Duncan Auckland in time for their daughters to shapes who YOU are. Whatever life Garner, when his producer is away.” attend school. As her daughters have throws at you – ask yourself – what is Mary’s original degree and career path grown, she returned to full time work. the lesson in this for me? Study hard and were quite different from the media learn well – a good education gives you “The special character of Villa has been world she now works in; although media many more opportunities later. Work / a significant influence in my life,” says is not foreign to her after her part-time life balance is important too – outside Mary. “No matter what situation I am work as a radio DJ while at University. of study – do what you LOVE doing, in, whether it be at work, at home, with Mary completed a BA in Japanese and whether it be sport, dance, surfing or friends or when I am in new situations, Psychology at the University of Waikato reading. Eat well and GET ENOUGH I always try to treat people with dignity and is also a qualified gym instructor and sleep! Talk to people face to face – spend and respect – exactly as I wish to be dance teacher. REAL time, not just on-line time with your treated myself! In fact, when it came to friends! Try new things – whether it be After completing her degree, Mary went selecting a school for my three daughters food, activities, or music. Take a chance! to live in Akita, a city in the northwest of here in Auckland, I chose your sister the main island of Japan, to teach English. school - Carmel College - as it has the Nicky McCarthy VMC 1991 – 1995 At Villa I was the school Cultural Captain in 7th form until I left for an AFS exchange in French-speaking Canada in August 1995. After a few years I went to the University of Otago and trained to be a dietitian. I opened my private practice NutritionWorks in 2006. I now live in Lake Hawea and work around Wanaka, Queenstown and Central Otago as a dietitian, at the rural hospitals and in private practice. My husband Grant is an auto-electrician and we own an automotive workshop in Wanaka. We have two children, Caitlin 8yrs and Max 6yrs old, so life keeps us pretty busy! NEWSLETTER FOR VILLA MARIA COLLEGE 3 OUR ALUMNAE Hannah Burgess VMC 2005 – 2009 My years spent at Villa and all the people I met there; from lifelong friends to the teachers, confirmed my choice to become a Preschool Teacher. I worked towards my Bachelor of Teaching and Learning and now get to see the impact I have on young children’s learning, seeing them make those discoveries with my support and learning how the world works with such awe. It is such a rewarding job and I love that I can give back what I was given through my school years, influencing the learning and development of children. Supporting and guiding them as they make discoveries about the world around them. Saturdays and end of and UK on farms. Between her travels she year boarders banquet, worked for Mt Cook Airlines as a travel along with lots of consultant. Marrying a farmer took her friendships. back to the country and she has been able to combine this lifestyle along with “I always remember interesting jobs that have come her way. the singing too” Chris has been involved in sports events says Chris. “We including the last World Cup Cricket and had combined Soccer Cups, Para World Athletics and music festivals and Para world swimming events. In early wonderful end of year 2000 she and husband, Jerome, travelled productions. Music away for 15 months on an ‘adult’ OE in the parlour on working in Ireland and UK. They have Sunday nights with built four houses and renovated others; Mother Mercedes in fact they are in the throes of their was a highlight, fourth house renovation in Geraldine at as was the singing present! People, plants and places are in the bus on our outings, or on a nice their interests. Christine O’Sullivan (nee evening out on the grass entertaining the Fitzsimmons) neighbours in Peer St.” Chris encourages Villa girls to have a ‘go’ at everything. Study or learn something VMC 1950 – 1960 When she left Villa, Chris worked on new every year and take note of Mark the home farm and had a short stint Chris began her Villa days in 1950 as a Twain’s quote: in Christchurch doing secretarial work five year old boarder; her sister Anne before travelling overseas for several and two cousins, Helen and Cushla “Twenty years from now you years.