Community Centre needs Waiouru support

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 316, 5 December 1989, Page 5

Community Centre needs Waiouru support

A plea for much needed volunteer support in order for the Waiouru Community Resource Centre to survive was made by a Resource Centre founder, Suzanne Simmons-Kopa to the Empty Page last week.

Mrs Simmons-Kopa will be leaving the region soon and is concerned that without good administrative support, the resource centre may cease to exist. The aim of the resource centre is to foster community spirit by family well-being and neighbourhood selfsufficiency and in order for this to continue the centre desperately needs the support of the Waiouru community. The resource centre provides several outlets for the community. It organises courses of interest to members of the community and provides friendship contacts for people who are without their extended family support. As an information network the centre also provides answers to all enquiries

regarding the Waiouru community and its clubs. Community concern is the resource centre's main strength, and earlier this year Mrs Sim-mons-Kopa lobbied on behalf of the Waiouru community to keep the maternity annex of the Waiouru Camp Hospital open. However, this was not to be, due to the Area Health Boards restructuring programme. Such a lobby seemed very effective and received nationwide coverage through the media. The resource centre provides a library of books relevant to living in today's society. The range of books is comprehensive and covers topics such as step-parents and their children, over coming drug addiction, coping with cot death, and

other titles which are all available to the community. Along with the small library the centre is in the process of buying health videos which will be available from the Video Vantasy

free of charge. Ms Simmons-Kopa and her co-ordinators encourage new residents to Waiouru to visit the resource centre and talk to the staff over a cup of coffee about any

concerns that may be bothering them. However Ms Simmons-Kopa said the centre must be used more often by the community and it is hoped through the 'Empty Page' that read-

ers will become aware that the Waiouru Community Resource Centre provides community progress through community involvement. The resource centre's new co-ordinators are

Vicki Robb and Kate Hutchinson; SeCretary, Jackie Gordon; Treasurer, Helen Twist; Assistant Treasurer, Pauline Aitchison, and all are very willing to assist the community.