Noeline White – always busy

Noeline celebrates the Queen’s jubilee at the Friendship Club (where she subsequently “knighted” the committee members).

Noeline White’s family bought her a mobile phone for her 90^th birthday.  She protested, not because it was modern technology but because she was too busy out and about, or looking after her house and garden. “I’d rather be doing or making something”, she told them.

I can vouch for that. When I meet Noeline she’s just finished preparing a talk for the Friendship Club about a trip she made to Libya.  A crochet jacket for her 10^th great grandchild lies next to the chair waiting for a free minute. After I leave she’s hosting the Country Womens Institute craft group who are coming to work on card designs for a competition.   

The Institute’s played a big part in Noeline’s life.  “I was secretary forever and a day.  My mother belonged and wanted me to join but I thought, ‘I don’t want to go with all those old women!’   When my mother died, in her early sixties, I decided she would want me to do it.  I’ve never regretted the decision.  It was about home skills – cooking, sewing, gardening and also a craft group. Back then we used to do lots of self-entertainment – like charades.  It was so much fun.” … Continue Reading

WHAT DOES THE WHAREKAKA TRUST BOARD DO AND WHO ARE THEY?

The Wharekaka Trust Board has enjoyed a very busy late summer and early autumn with its involvement in Wharekaka,  and has appreciated the input from all ten Board members. Current Board members are David Shaw, Treasurer, Cynthia Maling and Andy Sutherland, Deputy Chairs, John Bath, Liz Stevens, Helen Meehan, Joy Cooper, Greg Dalton, Karen Stephens and Patricia Logan [Chair].

We are a not for profit organisation, depending on Volunteers for the function of the Board and for support from the community through the Auxiliary.

With our governance role we have responsibility for the financial viability of Wharekaka as well as ensuring we are providing top quality care for our residents.  We do this by regular contact with the General Manager and by participating in Standing Committees which provide oversight and strategic direction. … Continue Reading

Wharekaka News

Ian and Maggie mixing the ANZAC cookie ingredients while Lionell and Glady’s keep an eye to ensure the recipe is followed correctly. Photo by Jim.

Our beautiful oak trees have begun to turn into the most stunning orange and golden colours, we have also noticed the cooler mornings…. a sure sign of the change in the seasons.

Life for our residents continues to be fun filled.

Wharekaka residents recently enjoyed a visit from Graham Clark and Murray Parker with their vintage cars.  One resident  noted that the tyres had come from her father’s car – a model T Ford.  Many thanks go to Graham and Murray for taking residents for a spin around town.  The men enjoyed getting up close under the bonnet and checking out the engine.

Our pool table has been reinstated in the day room.  It is being put to good use by residents – with one resident up at 6am to practice!!

We have begun weekly art classes.  Special thanks to Gail for having dahlias brought in from her garden, for us to draw.  We have some budding Michelangelo’s amongst our residents.

Anyone from the community is welcome to come in and join this group…. or our regular singing group.

This month Wharekaka will host the monthly Rest Home quiz.  This is a fiercely fought battle between the South Wairarapa Facilities.

Residents enjoyed ANZAC celebtrtations held at the home.  These included banking ANZAC cookies, a church service and a visit to the square to view all the white crosses.

Many thanks to everyone who recently purchased tickets in our Easter raffle.  Congratulations to Joy Cooper who won the basket of Easter goodies and thanks to Joy for donating the basket to staff….it was very much appreciated.

Wharekaka Auxiliary News:

In February the Auxiliary was offered the opportunity to run the tea rooms at the first Martinborough fair of the year. This is usually managed by the Lions Club and it was a generous gesture on their part to make this available to us for our fund-raising efforts. Luckily the 5a.m start didn’t deter our wonderful Auxiliary ladies and there was a great team, ably lead by Sheryl Howie, turning out scones, sandwiches and slices. With a steady stream of hungry fair goers eager to be fed throughout the day, we raised nearly $3000.  

From this activity we have been able to contribute a new fridge for the residents to use, petrol vouchers for visiting speakers and we are about to take possession of the wonderful all Terrain Wheelchair that we trailed last year.  So, many thanks again to the Martinborough Lions Club. These special events are over and above our monthly drives and activities that we share with residents.

We are also in the process of buying an iPad, which will be used by Maggie, our Activities Coordinator, to take photos to be uploaded to the new Wharekaka Facebook page.

So, as you can see it has been a hectic time but one that we hope has brought some pleasure to our residents and allowed us to raise necessary funds to make their daily lives a little easier or more pleasant.Thanks again to my fellow members for all their hard work and dedication, some have been involved for over 40 years! your wonderful contribution to Wharekaka does not go unnoticed.

Carolyn Thompson.

War Stories of Occupied Holland, by Toni Pyl

Part 3

The Germans also took over the school for living quarters so the older primary students had to go to a high school further away. The younger children were taken in by a kind English lady who offered her living room as a classroom. However, that came to an end when her husband managed to escape to England and as a consequence the woman and her children were carted off to a camp for foreigners.

The juniors then had to attend the high school as well and the building became very crowded. War actions always frightened me very much. We often heard rumblings in the distance at night, while search lights scanned the horizon and a faint red glow would paint the sky in the direction of Rotterdam.

The airport nearby was transformed into a fake one; the Germans went to a lot of trouble to achieve that. Canals were dug and lights installed which on moonlit nights, would be turned on. A couple of wooden planes stood near some buildings but only one allied plane came to investigate and drop a bomb in all those years. That happened in the daytime while my sister was sick in bed with Chickenpox. A window shattered and glass fell all over her bed but she wasn’t in it thank goodness as she had got up to get something. … Continue Reading