We tip our hat to Holly Gibson
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Super moon, super shot
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PAGE 11 THUR 02.12.21 - WED 08.12.21
EDITION 1055
Covid impact deepens
The annual swimming race around Ruby Island is off.
ovid’s continued damage to the Upper Clutha economy has continued as businesses close, events fall by the wayside and Government restrictions are cited as making events unviable. Queenstown Lakes District Council this week canned the major New Year gatherings which attracts thousands of people to Wānaka and Queenstown. The popular Ruby Swim planned for late January has also been left beached. Wānaka is about to lose its Youth Hostel, and an award-winning cafe in Cromwell is closing with the owner refusing to “discriminate” against who can be served. The Rhythm and Alps Music festival from December 29-31 is on, though. The traffic light system has Upper Clutha at amber, but it’s too difficult for some to manage. The organiser of the eighth annual Lake Ruby swim on Lake Wānaka, Eddie Spearing, said in terms of who is vaccinated among the entrants it would not be possible to police.
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Had it gone ahead, none of the competitors would have stayed in a youth hostel in Wānaka. Eleven Youth Hostels across the country – including one in Wānaka - will close their doors permanently, having been starved of patrons. The organisation said domestic tourists came in twice as many numbers, but it was not enough to compensate for the loss of international back packers. And this week the Tarras Country Cafe owner announced it would close – because “I can not and will not run my business when I have to discriminate against who I can and can’t employ, and who I can and can’t let in my doors”. The cafe announced it would close its doors tomorrow. The Government has announced certain roles in health and disability, education and corrections must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. A consequence is that the viability of some operations are in question. The number of doctors and nurses lost to the profession remains unclear.
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The New Zealand Fire service announced this week volunteer brigades in Inangahua and, in the Bay of Plenty, Matakana Island, could not operate because they did not have sufficient numbers of vaccinated members. But the service told the Wānaka Sun that situation did not apply in Otago. In Wānaka this week the owners of three Yoga studios, which have been open for over 20 years collectively, said they opposed the Government mandate. Nicci Huston owner of Hot Yoga Fusion, Prairie Pritchett (The Body Garage) and Susan Allen (Yoga Ground) said in a joint statement the word ‘yoga’ and the practice of yoga meant to join or unite. “To live this, we must be inclusive to all and at this current time, we all need our practice more than ever. For us, telling people that they couldn't be a part of something so important for mental wellbeing, for physical wellbeing is just a step too far.” Letters, more Covid news, See Page 6
DELIVERED AND FREE
Double scholars
Temo Heath and Jessie Barkman-White (left) were named joint winners of the Kahu Youth Scholarship in Wānaka this week. Kahu Youth created their first scholarship, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Wānaka, to focus on individuals who choose a non-traditional path to tertiary study. Youth Trust Programmes and Events Coordinator Sam Strong said the intention is to highlight Upper Clutha community involvement, intrinsic motivation to achieve goals and extracurricular activities. “The two finalists, Temo Heath and Jessie Barkman-White demonstrated extreme tenacity towards achieving their future goals,” she said. “Over the past year, we here at Kahu Youth have developed a strong and rewarding relationship with the two winners. We know them both to be caring, kind, supportive, passionate, intelligent, exuberant and allround, wonderful people.” Temo will attend SIT next year to complete a certificate in Event Technology before moving on to study a Bachelor of Audio Engineering while Jessie will be attend NMIT to complete level 3 and 4 in Cellar Operations. Both will receive $1500 towards any tertiary school related expense for the 2022 school year. The scholarship targets 16–24-year-olds who have been in the workforce and or have been out of the education system for a minimum of six months but are applying to a tertiary programme as a young adult.
1 202 Ho m e B u il d e r s
