Pink Ladies efforts honoured

Ruapehu Bulletin, 14 December 1993, Page 5

Pink Ladies efforts honoured

The annual mayoral dinner for the senior citizens of the Waimarino and Waiouru wards was held on Wednesday, 8 December at the Waimarino Club starting at 1pm. The Mayor, Garrick Workman, welcomed everyone and wished them all the best for Christmas and New Year and invited Reverend Bob Peck to say grace. After a meal, the senior citizens were entertained by the local Te Ropu Kapa Haka o Te Kura Reo Rua (the culture group of the bi-lingual class) from the Raetihi School. Their singing and actions were delightful and some of the senior citizen were encouraged to join the group for their final number. The mayor thanked the group for their items and remarked that he found their singing and actions beautiful. At this point the mayor presented the Raetihi Citizen' s Award Candelabra, giving an outline of its history. It was originally presented to Mrs Ruby Parker by the Borough and citizens of Raetihi a number of years ago. Her family had felt that the best way to remember their

mother was to return it to the community. This then became the Raetihi Citizen of the Year Award that has now been presented to a person in the community who it was felt had excelled. This year the award was presented to the Pink Ladies of Waimarino Health Care Centre for their community effort. Mr Workman said the group had been started by Matron Eve Rush of the then Waimarino Hospital, now the Waimarino Health Centre, after seeing a need for help for patients who had no friends or family able to visit. Margaret Bennett was asked to accept the candelabra on behalf of the Pink Ladies. Personal plaques marking the award go to Val Littlewood, Margot Webb, Di Deighton, Jocelyn Bright, Joan Ritchfield, Merle Hussey, Anne Dunn, Beth Lilburn, and Irene Whale-Gummeter. The guests were entertained by a group of high stepping, skirt swirling can-can dancers from Taumarunui who flirted with the mayor and other local males.