Ruapehu College Prizegiving Dinner

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 28, 9 December 1986, Page 7

Ruapehu College Prizegiving Dinner

Eighty three students, parents and staff attended a very successful Senior Dinner in the upstairs lounge of the Ohakune Club recently. The meal, prepared by Brian Dowsett and his staff, was enjoyed by those present, beforeex-Ruapehu College pupil Ken Kaanga, (who had returned to the College after 25 years) delivered his speech as guest of the Board of Governors. Now District Accounts Supervisor, at Greymouth Post Office, Ken Kaanga first worked in the Wellington Post Office before serving three-and-a-half years with the New Zealand Army. Two of these were served in Malaya and Borneo during the confrontation with Indonesia. He has been in Greymouth for 1 8 years and during that time has become very involved in New Zealand Judo. He is a national referee and is on the management Board of the N.Z. Judo Federation, as well as

being Area Director of the West Coast, Buller, Nelson and Marlborough Provinces. As instructor and coach of the Kotuku Judo Club in Greymouth, he has achieved success in preparing and coaching Helen Dash, New Zealand's Under-52kg Women's champion to the 1986 Commonwealth Games. He also trains a promising 1 5-year-old boy who already holds four national titles and was in the Under-18 year old N.Z. team to Noumea. Both are aiming for the 1990 Commonwealth Games and Mr Kaanga will be looking for good results from his pupils. In his speech at the dinner Mr Kaanga recalled the friendships he formed in his school days, the memories and discoveries. He said he was moved by the prizegiving ceremony he had just attended. "The spirit of caring, of unity and pride the students have in their school made me really proud to have been associated with the College."