Carterton Lions Club feature

The Lions Club of Carterton was founded on 16th October 1969, and reaches its 50th anniversary this year.

During those 50 years, the Club has been involved in good deeds small and large, from delivering rewood to the elderly to erecting a statue of Carterton’s founding father Charles Rooking Carter.

The Club is made up of ordinary men from all walks of life, united in their desire to make a di erence by contributing their personal time and talents to help other people, with the motto “We Serve”.

Members of the Lions Club of Carterton roll up their sleeves to help young people, the elderly, the ailing, the needy and our environment. Every dollar raised

for a cause, goes to that cause.

Like all Lions clubs around New Zealand, Carterton Lions is autonomous with decisions about community projects made at the grass roots level.

Lions projects tend to be very hands on, with the Club actively working alongside organisations it supports.

This year the Club is marking its anniversary by taking on its biggest project ever - a road safety cycle track in Carrington Park.

But before that comes to fruition, the Club will be celebrating its rst 50 years with a dinner.

Happy Anniversary Lions Club of Carterton!

LIONS CLUB OF CARTERTON

Celebrating 50 Years

One day in 1969, Murray Taucher was working in the Belvedere Road Dairy he and wife Jan ran in Carterton, when his friend Ian Renall popped in.

“Ian said to me ‘We are forming a club in Carterton and would I like to join.’

Members would meet every two weeks at the Taratahi Hotel. But a great deal of their activity then - as now - was out in the community.

well as other community groups towards a common goal.

For instance, it worked with Carterton Rotary Club to build an amenity block at Howard Booth Caravan Park.

“I said I was too busy in the dairy, to go and ask Jan if I should. Ian said he already had seen her, and she had said it was a good idea. I thought it would be a good for Murray to get away from the shop,” chips in Jan.

Murray was one of 43 charter members of the Lions Club of Carterton, and its rst President was Carterton farmer Mick Rayner, followed in the next four years by Ian Renall, Merv Renall and Russell Garrity.

“One of the rst projects we did was to chop and deliver donated rewood to the elderly or anyone else we felt needed it,” says Murray.

“We still do that, delivering rewood to around 70 to 80 homes every year.”

Another early and successful fundraiser was asking farmers to donate stock to be killed at the Waingawa meat works and then sold at the Club’s meat stall at the annual Home of Compassion gala with money raised going to the Home of Compassion.

A regular money earner in the early days was a merry-go-round which four members travelled down to the South Island’s West Coast to bring back to Wairarapa.

That was joined by Carterton Lion’s rst food van that members take to events around the Wairarapa. This has more recently been replaced by a second food van.

“When people see that it is a Lion’s fundraising caravan, they always support us,” says Murray.

Often, Carterton Lions would work with other Lions clubs as

Some of the money for this was raised through a “King Kong” competition that all three Carterton hotels took part in.

Not all Carterton Lions activities have been about raising money for good causes, however.

Some were projects to bene t the local community, such as when the club erected the two original Welcome to Carterton signs at both ends of the town. They also built a toilet block at the Clareville showgrounds and a lookout on Mount Dick.

A Howard Booth Caravan Park fundraising (from left) Bill Gee, Ole Browny, Paul Copper and Murray Taucher.

Then there were the times when they would directly help others.

Murray fondly remembers “a wonderful day 40 years ago” when a trainload of children from Birthright in Wellington came to Carterton.

“We built a special platform where the trained stopped at the Clareville Showgrounds, for the children to get off and spend the whole day seeing different animals, playing games, enjoying joy rides and enjoying being in the country.

The social side of the club has always been very important, Murray says.

“We used to go take all our children to The Cliffs or Mt Holdsworth for a picnic. We had fishing days at Ngawi, and one

year we had trolley cart races.”

One of the best things about belonging to a Lions club, for Murray is “the satisfaction of being able to do something as a group to help people, whereas as an individual you can’t do that.”

This is reflected in the fact that over the past 50 years, four members of the Club have received Queen’s Honours - Ian Renall, Bill Monk, Mick Rayner and Peter Little.

Eleven members of the club have also been made Melvin Jones Fellows, an award given by Lions Clubs International to people who have made an outstanding contribution to the club they belong to.

Bringing a light touch to any occasion

Like so many other members of The Lions Club of Carterton, current President Paul Reid found his way to it through a friend and workmate.

“I worked with Brian Deller and was new to the Wairarapa wanted to meet people. He said come along to the Lions.”

That was 26 years ago. Since then Paul has done two stints as President, in 2002/2003 and 2019 to next year.

Presidents of the Club are changed every year but some things have stayed the same for the full 50 years that the Club has existed.

One is the twice monthly meetings which used to be held at the Taratahi Hotel but are now held at the Carterton RSA Memorial Club.

These always follow a set format which includes a dinner, fundraising raffle, reports from the directors of the various committees, and a guest speaker.

When members get together, it is always touch of joviality about the proceedings, Paul says.

The Club never misses an opportunity to raise a dollar with one of the fun parts of the evening being the “tail twister” whose job it is to secretly find out the “misdemeanours” of fellow members, enlarge and exaggerate on them for effect and humour, and prosecute the offender for a small donation for their sin or mistake, or even birthday.

The Club places a large importance on organisational structure with a large number of committees, each with their own director who reports at each meeting.

One committee that expresses the importance Lions place on supporting their fellow members is that of the Almoner who looks after members who are sick, ailing or widowers.

With around 43 members,

the Carterton Lions is doing “brilliantly”, Paul says.

“We are recognised as one of the best Lions clubs in the Lower North Island East Coast District with the most members. We are one of the most financial, and one of the most successful in projects.”

The Club’s monthly newsletter, edited by member Steve Cretney, has also won the award for the best one in New Zealand on two occasions.

The Club gets on well with other local service organisations such as Rotary as well as other community groups, says Paul.

“We also have a good relationship with Carterton District Council, Wairarapa A&P Society, schools and churches.

With 1.4 million Lions members around the world, in 90 countries, Lions Clubs International is one of the biggest service organisations in the world.

LIONS CLUB OF CARTERTON

Road safety cycle track in Carrington Park

The Lions Club of Carterton was founded on 16 October 1969 and has reached its 50TH anniversary year in 2019. During those 50 years the Club has supported many projects within the Carterton Community.

The current members are very proud of our founding fathers and in their honour have decided on a special project to celebrate them and our the Club’s anniversary.

Celebrating 50 Years

Youth is one of the key focus areas of all Lions Clubs globally, and Road Safety Tracks are becoming very popular throughout New Zealand. The Carrington Park track will provide a facility to encourage children to learn rst-hand road safety while enjoying themselves and having fun.

The Track will be the centrepiece of an integrated Carterton promotion of cycling for children in the community.

Carterton’s primary schools and Carterton District Council are fully involved in providing a range of facilities and a cycleway that will safely link all the schools to Carrington Park.

The Lions project track will incorporate a set of tra c lights, a roundabout, intersections, a pedestrian crossing, a maintenance corner, bus shelter, benches and picnic tables.

been able to set aside $35,000 of this amount from proceeds from the operation of its food caravan, and assisting Carterton District Council in organising the annual Da odil Festival.

If you would like to contribute to this valuable project for the youth of Carterton, donations are happily welcomed.

All donations will be acknowledged on an honour board at the track, as was the case with donations to the Charles

DONATIONS

You can make a donation by cheque or direct credit into the “Lions Club of Carterton Charitable Trust”

Westpac account J B Park

Account: 03 0609 0002436 001

Please use the Ref: Track

You will need to send the following information with your donation (a receipt will be sent to you for your tax records)

Donor Name:

Address:

Email:

Would you like your name/ company engraved on the proposed plaque?

Please tick YES NO

Details for engraving:

POST DONATIONS TO:

Lions Club of Carterton

Charitable Trust PO Box 44

Club Presidents: Steve Carson (2018/19) Paul Reid (2019/20)

EMAIL DONATIONS TO:

E invino@xtra.co.nz or E pascoerey@gmail.com

A child’s point of view

One of the Lions Club of Carterton’s younger members, Pascoe Reynolds, came up with the idea of a Road Safety Cycle Track In Carrington Park. The project’s leader, Pascoe joined the Club around two years ago, accompanying his father Jim Reynolds who has been a member for many years.

Pascoe had enjoyed similar tracks in Palmerston North and the Hutt Valley with wife Anna, and their two children, six year-old Guy and eight year-old Hugh.

“I thought a building a track in Carterton would be a great idea as it was needed and it would also be a great way for Club to connect with a younger generation who might not know much about who we are and what we do.”

The track has been designed by Silverwood Architects from a prototype that Guy and Hugh both contributed to. “They told us all the things they would like to see in it.”

The project has gained enthusiastic support from all Carterton’s schools and this has really helped it along, Pascoe says. He hopes it will be completed by Wellington Anniversary Weekend next year.

Lions Club contributions get fundraising o to a good start

The Lions Club has made a good start on its aim to raise nearly $140,000 for the Road Safety Cycle Track in Carrington Park.

Peter Little is Treasurer of the Lions Club of Carterton and also the Lions Club of Carterton Charitable Trust which is the vehicle for money made from fundraising projects carried out by the Club.

He says the decision to commit to the project was made last February with $35,000 set aside from proceeds of the Club’s food van and Da odil Day Festival.

A further $15,000 has been

donated by the Lloyd Morgan Charitable Trust which represents all Lions Clubs in New Zealand.

The Club will also be looking to raise money from local sponsorship, with each sponsor getting their names on a plaque as was the case with the erection of the Charles Rooking Carter statue.

So far nearly $7000 has been raised from businesses and individuals, Peter says.

The Club has also applied for grants from various organisations whom Peter is waiting to hear back from.

A Wendy House for children of all ages

A Wendy House is a United Kingdom term for a small playhouse for children, large enough for one or more children to enter.

But the Wendy House currently being ra ed to raise money for the Road Safety Cycle Track in Carrington Park is big enough for all sorts of purposes.

The Wendy House has been making its way around various Carterton destinations such as New World Supermarket and the Da odil Festival with tickets $5.

As well as the Wendy House, there are prizes of a load of rewood, and wheelbarrow

load of groceries, with the ra e drawn next month.

Building the Wendy House was winter project for Carterton Lions member and farmer Harry Grey, helped by his wife and go-to-woman Brenda.

It is 2.4 metres wide including its veranda, with a two metre high door way, and plenty of room for adults to stand in.

“People can use it for whatever they want such as a tiny house in the garden,” says Harry.

The other key member of this fundraising venture is fellow Carterton Lions member Bill Norman who is organising ra e ticket sales.

Celebrating 50 Years

Lightbulb moment led to most ambitious project ever

Allan went about organising the fundraising with a subcommittee of the Club, and they managed to raise the $100,000 needed for the bronze statue.

Carterton Lions’ secret weapon - it’s

Wings Over Wairarapa.”

Allan Renall had the idea for a statue of Carterton founder Charles Rooking Carter when he was in Belgium in 2013.

“I was on a cycling trip with my wife Ann when we came across a statue in a town square of a man with one wooden leg with his dog.

“Even though it was raining, there were still people sitting on his knee. That was the light bulb moment when I thought we could have a similar one in Carterton to commemorate our founder.”

“We put in $30,000, raised another 20,000 through subscriptions, and a lottery grant meet the other $50,000.”

Among the many sponsors were a large number of families who felt a connection with the history of the town. The statue has been the most ambitious project Carterton Lions has ever taken onprior to the upcoming cycle trail at Carrington Park.

“My biggest pleasure is seeing people having their photo taken with the statue, reading the history about it, and stopping to have a co ee.”

You may have met a member of the Lions Club of Carterton without ever knowing it, if you have bought a hot dog or chips at any one of a number events around the Wairarapa over the years.

Every Lions Club has its own method of raising funds like a book fair or art sale, says current Club President Paul Reid. “Our primary one is the food van.”

And a good fundraiser it is too, usually raising around 25,000 to $30,000 per annum. Last year was a particularly good one for the food van, Paul says, raising $50,000, “thanks to being part of

The secret to its nancial success is that all the sta are volunteering members, the food is bought from local suppliers and people like supporting the food van when they see it there.

The food van is also great for mixing with the community, he says, attending up to 20 events every year.

“It’s a brilliant way to meet people and mix with the community. And the community is contributing to the projects we are raising funds for by buying food and drink from it.”

Carterton Lions who have generously given back to our community through many projects throughout their 50 years, from helping organise the market stalls at our iconic Daffodil Festival to their current plans to build a kids’ Road Safety Cycle Track in Carrington Park.

Lion Allan Renall with Sir John Key at the o cial unveiling of the statue of Carterton founding father Charles Rooking Carter

A fresh perspective

The youngest member of the Lions Club of Carterton is William Bird who joined three years ago when he was 22 years old.

“Mick Rayner brought me along. He was my next door neighbour and I used to do the lamb beat with him on weekends and during the school holidays.”

William discovered friendly people and a good atmosphere at the Club.

“You meet lots of people from different backgrounds and work together as a group, helping the community, which is something I like about the Club.”

Presently studying for his arborist qualifications in Dunedin, William is planning to come back to Carterton at the end of the year, and looking forward to having

more time to help on projects than his previous job working on dairy farms allowed.

“The highlights for me have been what we have achieved in the community, such as erecting the Charles Rooking Carter statue, and organising the Daffodil Festival.”

Daffodil Festival a busy time for Club

One of the highest profile projects of the Lions Club of Carterton is its contribution to Carterton’s annual Daffodil Festival.

This sees the Club organise the stall holders for the September event, a project lead by Club member Grant Smith - with assistance from his wife Heather - with planning starting as early as April when application forms are sent out to previous year’s stall holders.

The Club has been organising the

stalls for around the past 12 years, sharing half the income with the Carterton District Council, with Allan pointing out that “It costs the council a lot to run the festival.”

The number of stalls has been increasing every year and this month’s festival saw 130 stalls present. The profit from the stalls for the Club is around $4000 to $4500 but it also does it as a service to the community, Allan says.

Before the Sunday of the event,

members plan out the location of each stall and liaise with stall holders. The Club’s food van attends the festival and members of the Club man the pedestrian crossings on High Street for six hours.

“We have to do that as otherwise there would be traffic bedlam. Because it is a state highway, we are not allowed to close it.”

Past Presidents Charter Members

RE Andrews

JR Morris

AE Barton

RL Mouldey

C Burch

BW Neligan

G Cooper

VC Pain

W Cretney

EF Pickford

JR Davidson

RJ Pitchforth

AH Deller

RI Rayner

LR Falconer

IG Renall

HS Garrity

MA Renall

RJ Garrity

CC Robertson

VH Gates

AI Ross

RA Grant

GE Sewell

JS Jones

RS Sheridan

AJ James

GR Smith

JH Leitch

RK Smith

GR Lister

LS Snell

R Lukies

HI Southwell

AH McCallum

M Taucher

PH McManaway

TJ Udy

NW Monk

WJ Worsfold

Melvin Jones Fellows

Merv Renall

Bernie Ryan

Russell Garrity

Mick Rayner

Allan Renall

John Rose

Peter Little

Ian H Reid

Robin Parker

Kim McMillan

Paul Reid

69/70 Mick Rayner

70/71 Ian Renall

71/72 Ian South

72/73

Merv Renall

73/74 Russell Garrity

74/75 Jim Morris

75/76 Lionel Falconer

76/77 Murray Taucher

77/78 Ray Holdaway

78/79 Rex Andrews

79/80 Merv Blackwell

80/81

Alex Deller

81/82 Dick Booth

82/83

83/84

84/85

85/86

87/88

Bernie Ryan

H Robinson

Hugh Rolls

Irv Ross

Ron Lukies

88/89 Alan James

89/90

90/91

G Knutson

Lyle Corlett

91/92 Robin Parker

92/93

93/94

Allan Renall

Brian James

94/95 Graham Hutchings

95/96 John Rose

96/97 Stuart Hall

97/98 Adrian Bulford

98/99 R Garrity

99/00 Mick Rayner

00/01 Brian Deller

01/02 Grant Smith

02/03 Paul Reid

03/04 Paul Shailer

04/05 B Atkinson

05/06 Frank Craig

06/07 Keith Brown

07/08 M Keedwell

08/09 Allan Renall

09/10 Paul Russell

10/11 G Hutchings

11/12 Kim McMillan

12/13 Steve Cretney

13/14 Ian H Reid

14/15 Peter Little

15/16 Morris Edwards

16/17 John McNamara

17/18 John McNamara

18/19 Steve Carson

William Bird in conversation with Lion Alan James and the late Mick Rayner who was William’s sponsor