Picton’s Good Samaritans honoured

Some twenty leaders and members of local emergency services gathered with the congregation for a Service of Thanks held in Holy Trinity Church Picton on Sunday March 19. The occasion was followed by a morning tea.

It was also attended by Marlborough Mayor Nadine Taylor and councillor Barbara Faull. All five emergency leaders were asked to speak, and Picton’s Fire Chief Wayne Wytenburg described the early driver for his forty years of involvement with the fire service. It followed catastrophe in the remote small town in which his family lived when they lost their small business to fire.

All the help available was one volunteer in one fire engine.

The young Wayne helped, but it was not enough. He said he signed up immediately, suddenly becoming well aware of the vital importance of volunteers in preventing such disasters.

And he reminded the congregation of their pressing need for recruits, inviting them to their open day on Saturday March 25.

Constable Joe Mangos of the Picton Police, when asked the most demanding part of his job, said it was the 3am calls, when you have to go to a home to tell someone their loved one has died. While, with social media, most people already know before they arrive, he said he still finds it the most challenging role.

Tony Cronin, of St John, described the networks the organisation uses to support them to maintain mental and emotional wellbeing. People, he said, assumed that they just get used to it. “But you don’t.”

The discussion also ranged wider, taking in the relatively recent tragedy just out of Picton where seven of a van’s nine occupants died in a crash.

The scene was horrific, but Wayne spoke for all the services on this. “We were all blown away by the way the local community just wrapped us up.”

He cautioned though. “There’s also a need to hold off at times. Just let us breathe.”

Marie-Jeanette, Vicar said they heard all the sirens while they were in church. “We just stopped the service and instead prayed for all those involved.”

Dave St John of the Coastguard, spoke about our “volatile” country, adding that when communications and power are out, everyone needs good knowledge to see them through. “Knowledge is the key to help people around you. But that’s just part of our culture.”

Continuing that theme of building knowledge, he told those present he’d done a deal with God.

“I said I’d come here if Marie-Jeanette went to our all-day boating workshop.” She went and he did.

Each leader was presented with a wooden cross to put up in their rooms before Marie-Jeanette preached on the parable of the Good Samaritan, “the ultimate emergency worker.”

CARRYING ON THE LEAVING LEGACY:

Former Year 8 St Mary’s School students Jaden Mitchell, Joshua Kalan, and Nova Bana returned to their old school this week to talk about the mural they helped collaborate on last year.

Teacher Mieke Davies, a visual artist, says the mural incorporates environmental themes and as a group students researched on native birds and plants. Mieke’s role involved ‘placing the ideas’ by sketching on the mural which caused ‘some planning’ with the corrugations on the container.

“The learnings of how a mural works is invaluable from their ideas, measuring with scale, the mixing of paints and what brush to use,” says Mieke. Joshua says it was great to work with 30 students collaboratively on one project with many having different ideas. “We’re all people who care(d) about the environment.” Joshua says. “It was great to be able to freestyle and then Mieke added the finishing touches,” says Nova. The funding for the mural came from Creative New Zealand through the Creative Communities Scheme (CCS).

Office Administrator

Blenheim Methodist Parish

• Secretarial and basic accounting

• 12 hours per week

Be the face, voice and network hub of the Wesley Centre.

Complete job description available on request by email or collect from 3 Henry Street.

Applications close Friday April 14th

Ph 03 578 5796 or email wesley.blenheim@xtra.co.nz

BRAIN BUSTERS:

Forsyth, Imogen Hughes and Mia Harris took part in ‘Brain Busters’ a kids TV quiz show in Christchurch earlier this term. Fellow student Lauren Read will be involved with the show earlier next month.