Te Awamutu Next to Te Awamutu The Hire Centre Te Awamutu Landscape Lane, Te Awamutu YourC community newspaper for over 100 years Thursday, December 6, 2018 0800 TA Hire | www.hirecentreta.co.nz Record fundraiser Supercars champ revs up Cornerstone auction Get to know BY CATHY ASPLIN Thunderous applause accom- your neighbour panied champion driver Scott Pirongia residents are invited McLaughlin’s opening statement to connect with their at this year’s Cornerstone Trust neighbours on the 10th luncheon. anniversary of National “This is my first appearance Neighbours Day this March. as a Supercars Champion!” Drop into an information The Kiwi driver was guest session on Friday, December 7 speaker at last week’s charity from 2pm-4pm at Pirongia event, just days after winning the Community Hall on Crozier V8 Supercars Series Champion- Street to find out how you and ship in Australia. your neighbours can connect Scott, 25, said since his signed and celebrate the anniversary . shirt was auctioned at last year’s event “a fair bit has changed”. He had his first driving Healthy kids experience when his family was Sport Waikato’s Whaanau living in Hamilton. Kori Tamariki Ora - Active “Dad was interested in a new Families, Healthy Kids car and took us to the Gary Keith programme is now open to Motors car yard in our Club families with children from 2-10 Sport. years. “While he was looking at cars, Together with the family, my sister and I decided to look at Sport Waikato looks at a little Skoda up the hill. behaviours around food, “I was in the driver’s seat and activity, screen time and sleep didn’t really know what manual habits and comes up with a plan was, but I took it out of gear. My that will make a long-term sister managed to take the difference to the health and handbrake off and with that we wellbeing of families with young rolled down the hill — straight children. into dad’s car. The programme is free and “He was furious as we had available to anyone living in the smashed the lights on the Skoda Waikato with children aged — no surprise really — and between 2 and 10. dented his car. If you or someone you know “The car yard was very good is interested, find out more at about it, but Dad threw us into tinyurl.com/ycr9cy9l our car and said ‘we’re going Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin writes on the tank of a Suzuki Mudbug, donated by Ilana Wilks home!’ “He slammed the car door and Mark Penny (right). After the auction new owners Allan and Jan Mockford (left) plan to replace the Pool party for so hard he popped out the dent. tank of their new farm bike so they can keep Scott’s message in pristine condition. Photo / Cathy Asplin “All good!” Around a week local children later Scott took the next step in “I was ticking my goals off “I was on live TV after a race “Having fellow Kiwi Shane Go Waipa¯is hosting a kids’ his driving career. each year, even though I crashed in Adelaide, when I swore after I van Gisbergen breathing down pool party at the Events Centre “We went to a have-a-go a few times!” ‘gave it some jandal’, and the my neck pushed me even on Friday, December 14 at karting day at Mystery Creek He was sixth in Bathurst in coverage attracted the attention harder.” 6.30pm. and I haven’t looked back. I was 2012 and followed up by signing a of American Ron Penske. He says the pair have a fierce The event is for children aged six at that stage and started three-year contract with Garry “That contract with DJR rivalry on the track, but massive 5-12. There will be racing when I was seven.” Rogers Motorsport. Team Penske changed my life respect off the track. inflatables, a hydro slide, pool After winning karting titles in He won his first V8 Supercars forever. In 2017 I had a record lap Next year Scott’s looking for- toys, Christmas crafts, New Zealand and Australia he race at Pukekohe in 2013. at Bathurst, but also had to look ward to driving a new car. Santa and a sausage sizzle. had a dream of racing Supercars, “I thought being paid to drive at mistakes made in the race. It “We’ve got a new Mustang Limited tickets so did work experience with was so cool — driving a Volvo was hard to take, but I learnt to coming — I’m really excited available from reception. Stone Brothers Racing in 2010. wasn’t quite so cool — but I was be hurt and come back stronger. about that. It’s being built from In 2011 he had his first win in allowed to be myself.” “So this year the aim was to scratch and should be fast.” the NZ Touring Car series aged In 2014 Scott attracted some have a top 10 place in every race just 17. unexpected attention. — in the end we averaged third. ■ Continued Page 5 Te Awamutu and Pirongia are on 1 Sprinklers 6-8AM &6-8PM Hand-held hosing any time 2 Te Awamutu Courier Thursday, December 6, 2018 ■ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Council forgets about ratepayers 14,045 The last Courier identified Waipa¯District e-bikes — disregarding whether ratepayers they are using for council staff’s e-bikes? Or Council helping its very own staff to would benefit from this by having the same is it the funds from the recently handed over 14,045* purchase e-bikes. access to the ‘interest free’ loans. Palmer St council units to Habitat For CIRCULATION 14,045* The premise of this underlying message That aside, this shows a blatant disregard Humanity, or the funds for creating the is so silly I am shocked to say that the CEO by council for its ratepayers, their ignorance belated Pirongia Cycle Track that we heard and CFO support this, it obviously and strong reluctance to maintain the so much about? highlights that council has deviated from its district. By the time that council procrastinates obligations to maintain the district for the Clear evidence of this, is the disregard to over the purchase of these e-bikes the cost ratepayers (not providing for and protecting maintaining Te Awamutu’s water supply, would go a long way to putting on an its council staff). an issue council has known about and been environmentally friendly bus service that I am sure these well paid staff can afford presented over 20 years ago, yet they divert would achieve the same goal, but also their own bike, instead council again is funds from actually doing anything about it. service the ratepayers who have been again diverting funds to provide — get this They continue twiddling their fingers, forgotten about here. ‘interest free’ loans to staff to purchase these pulling funds off ratepayers. Is it these funds HAYDEN WOODS (Abridged) [email protected] [email protected] No reassurance Amazing talents [email protected] I was so pleased to read in this country, called New This year’s concert by brought the house down. [email protected] June Bright’s letter reassur- Zealand by the way, not Gaylene Foster’s School of Putting on the Glitz featured ing us that we can trust the Aotearoa New Zealand. Dance was again spectacular. the Sugar Plum Fairy danced by Government over abortion, I don’t remember us The amazing talent all of the the senior ballet dancers which [email protected] and euthanasia, and having a referendum chang- dancers carried off the meaning was very beautiful. Fire , by the legalising drugs. ing our country’s name. of their dance with great talent. intermediate contemporary I feel so much better. Suicide is already a The costumes were outstanding dancers set us alight for the [email protected] Yeah right. major concern, we don’t making the dancers fit their following hip hop, tap dancing First of all, we do not need to make it legal. role. and jazz. have a legitimate govern- Drugs are already a The Magical Garden was de- The adult dancers were ment. major concern, we don’t lightful with the very young amazing with their adult tap We have a government need to make it legal as well. preliminary dancers dressed as and then their masquerade ball elected by one-man, Win- New Zealand has become flowers, butterflies, ladybirds, and the show finished with the ston Peters, and that says it a secular society and many sunflowers, fairies, bees, and senior ballet cleverly all. Who, based on his re- in our society have no moral even some frogs amongst many performing to Mistake Waltz . cord, would trust him? compass. other animals and birds. Te Awamutu has very good [email protected] What happened to dem- We live in a beautiful Classic Guys and Gals sec- reason to be very proud of these ocracy? country, with most of our tion was outstanding with the many dancers both female and If we look at overseas people being decent people, guest dancers Highland Melody male. All fit, healthy and happy experience on all these but we really do need to group performing the highland and enjoying performing. for a issues, we will find that push back this leftist fling, Irish jigs, the sailors horn- packed out audience . despite the so-called movement, who are deter- pipe all to the tune of bagpipes.