A big gap which will be hard to fill

It was a sad day recently for Martinborough when we said a final farewell to community stalwart Helen Campbell.  Helen had been unwell for some time and had therefore been unable in recent times to play much of a part in the community she loved so well.  She was nevertheless firmly remembered by her family and friends, of which there were many, for the enthusiasm and determination to get things done that had been the trademarks of her life for so long.

Helen was a person that made things happen.  Her contributions to the community of Martinborough were many and varied over the years and covered several pages of notes, shared with us by family and often invoking laughter from the listeners.  

One project from more recent times was the House and Garden tour which raised an extraordinary amount of money for the Wharekaka Aged Care Home.  This event required the organising of a large team of helpers from parking supervisors to sandwich makers, not to mention convincing people to open their private homes to public scrutiny.  The fact that so many got behind this venture and made it such a success was testament to the high regard in which Helen was held.  It was however just the tip of the iceberg of her community service.

After the service people gathered in the Waihinga Centre for a cup of tea.  While chatting it dawned on me that the lovely refurbished Town Hall was a very fitting place to share stories of Helen for a special reason.

While the Waihinga Centre may not have been one of Helen’s priorities, it nevertheless represents the enormous sense of community that makes Martinborough a very special town.  This sense of community has seen many projects come to fruition over the years and was a strong driver in Helen’s life.  Her death leaves a big gap that will be hard to fill.

Adrienne Staples