Monday, July 30, 2012

Seaport Scene Issue 314

Mass Haka for Olympic Rower


The Queen Charlotte College Kapa Haka group, joined by keen schoolmates, decided to show their support for Picton Olympic athlete Joseph Sullivan by doing a haka on video and posting it on YouTube.

Social Studies teacher and leader David Collins said a short introduction in Maori, then English, saying, ”We lay down a challenge for you, to reach deep inside yourself, to find the fortitude and the strength and the determination to overcome the obstacles and achieve your personal best.”

The haka, titled Tika Tonu, roughly translates to ‘What is right, is always right’, and its message is of challenge, struggle, perseverance and achievement. It is commonly taught to youths, as it contains a significant message of guidance, particularly when adolescent males are making the difficult transition to adulthood.

There are typically around 35 students that take part in the Kapa Haka group, however this number doubled for the video due to the enormous support for the local rowing legend.

Joseph is competing in the Mens double sculls rowing with team mate Nathan Cohen.

The London Olympics 2012 opening ceremony is on Prime Television, 7am Saturday morning, NZ time, with the rowing to run from 8.35pm that night.

If you wish to view the haka head to www.youtube.com/watch?v=pth9pFGikbw&feature=plcp.

COUNCILLORS COLUMNS
OTHER STORIES IN THIS ISSUE:
  • Captain's Table, Letters to the editor, In brief...
  • Spot the Knot and go into the draw for a years subscription.
  • Leaping whale photo sequence from Marlborough filmmaker Paul Davidson of Byte Sized Productions. 
  • Picton Marine Brokers Tide Tables
  • Sculptor Supports National Whale Centre
  • St Joseph’s School Raises Funds and Awareness of Alzheimers
  • Gifts to the Community
  • Red Hat Society Comes to Picton
  • We Need to Protect Ecologically Significant Areas
  • Some Fancy Footwork
  • The cut out guide of Seaport Happenings and Le Cafe Seaport Sessions
  • Seen on the Scene
  • Reflections from Picton Museum: Picton Museum News
  • Library Lines
  • Writer's Corner: This week a poem from Dale, 
  • On The Beat with Constable Newcombe
  • Looking Ahead to Daffodil Day
  • Local Business has New Face at the Front Desk
  • The Picton Visitor Information Centre has a Facelift. 
  • New Mannequins
  • St John Awards Ceremony
  • Hyundai Santa Fe
  • Go! Joe! Row!
  • Swiftsure I Rows on the Thames
  • Scoop's Sport with Sam Swain
  • Support Waitohi in the final
  • Diamond Anniversary – 60 Years of Marriage

Get your copy of the Seaport Scene at one of the following outlets:

  • Picton: The Seaport Scene Office, FreshChoice, Take Note, Healthcare Pharmacy, Picton Library, On The Spot, Challenge Service Station, Picton Four Square
  • Blenheim: Perrys Book Shop

Don't forget:

  • Win Coldplay tickets! Submit a photo of you reading the Seport Scene for a chance to win.
  • Submit your poems or stories for the Writers Corner
  • Send us your stunning images of the place we live.

Councillors Column - 27 July 2012

by Trevor Hook
It was interesting to see the chief executive of the Chamber of Commerce of our biggest city recently recommending that Marlborough invest in its region’s economic development.

Auckland Chamber chief executive Michael Barnett said economic development is something that local government needs to invest in – and that it was happening well in Marlborough.

He’d been looking at the work that the District Council is doing to try and bring together a vision and a series of actions to generate economic development in this region.

It’s early days yet. The Council is really still in the research phase. Some draft ideas are being brought together. Some of the information that is emerging has surprised me. For example, the economic value to our region of the sector that supports other businesses and industries both here and outside Marlborough – the consultants and financial and business advisory sector. That group generates a substantial chunk of Marlborough’s GDP. Some of them are among the increasing number of people who choose to live here but work away from the region. From an economic perspective this is important as it brings revenue into Marlborough from the outside.

The Council’s research is suggesting the best way forward for our region might be to encourage us to become a value-driven, rather than volume-based economy. Easier said than done of course but we are learning how more innovation and more sophisticated commercialising and marketing of our wonderful Marlborough products can generate more prosperity for the region.

But it’s not all about dollars. Environmental sensitivity and the quality of community also form part of the bigger economic development picture. Would people want to come and live here if it wasn’t a great place to be? So any development must include these very important elements.

Over the coming months we’ll be sharing more of this information with the broader community. It’s a discussion that has to be held across the community because economic development is not something the Council alone will generate. A presentation of our work to date will be held in Picton soon. I hope it will provoke interest and inspiration because the momentum will come only when all our different sectors start connecting with each other. The Council can only plan and facilitate; the future is very much in the hands of the community itself.

Council has already taken a few steps in that support role; it has set up its Smart Business Marlborough service at the Council, to streamline responses to new and existing businesses wanting to expand. With the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce it has arranged a public forum, on Friday 10 August at Blenheim’s Convention Centre, to show Marlborough businesses and workers what kind of opportunities might exist for them down in Christchurch with the post-quake rebuild. A range of speakers who’re involved on the ground with rebuild projects will be there and there’ll also be a chance to speak directly to them afterwards. It’s a free event and I’d urge people to attend. This is one of the ways the Council is able to ‘invest’ in economic development as the Auckland Chamber chief suggests; helping put people in touch with opportunity.

MACRO FORUM; MARLBOROUGH CHRISTCHURCH REBUILD OPPORTUNITIES FORUM

Friday 10 August 2pm-5pm Marlborough Convention Centre, register by phoning 577 9575 or email enquiries@mcoc.org.nz

Monday, July 16, 2012

Seaport Scene Issue 313

Gold Star Presentation and Awards Evening

Photo: Trev Faulkner
Picton volunteer firefighters were recognized for their dedication and commitment to a challenging role, in an awards ceremony held on Sat 7 July. A stunning line up of fully uniformed brigade members formed a guard of honour to welcome Gold Star Award recipient Raymond McKay, who arrived in style with his family, in a historical fire engine.

Many locals were awarded service medals for varying lengths of time in the brigade, including Raynor Henson, who achieved his 2 Year Gold Bar for 57 years with the fire service.

Willie Abel, who works at DOC, was awarded not only his 2 Year Silver Bar, he also received the Long Service Good Conduct Medal and the UFBA Life Honorary Medal, for his 15 years in the service.

The literal ‘Gold Star’ of the evening was Ray. Once he had received his 25-year Gold Star and awards from various associations from Region 4, the group witnessed a slide show of important features of his life over the last 25 years. His family, wife Mary and daughter Stephanie, were also recognised for the much needed support they have given Ray to enable him to serve.
See issue 313 for the full story.

Other Stories in this Issue:

  • Captain's Table and Letters to the editor
  • Seaport News: Current Headlines
  • St John Mass Casualty Training Event
  • Picton Marine Brokers Tide Tables
  • Star Divas Dance Class
  • Former Secretary General of the NZ Olympic Committee lives in Picton
  • The Social Editors go to Whisky Night at Seumus's
  • RSA Jam Session
  • Kenepuru Campsites Getting an Upgrade
  • Kaipupu Shop Open Day
  • The cut out guide of Seaport Happenings and Le Cafe Seaport Sessions
  • Reflections from Picton Museum: The Grove Track
  • Library Lines
  • Writer's Corner: This week a story by Leo Schmidt, age 6
  • Sailing Dinner and Olympic Pin Presentation
  • Hector's Dolphin Day
  • Marlborough Needs Mentors - Project K
  • The i20 - it's the best of Hyundai, distilled
  • Scoop's Sport with Sam Swain
  • Picton Woman Makes the Cut Nationally

Get your copy of the Seaport Scene at one of the following outlets:

  • Picton: The Seaport Scene Office, FreshChoice, Take Note, Healthcare Pharmacy, Picton Library, On The Spot, Challenge Service Station, Picton Four Square
  • Blenheim: Perrys Book Shop

Don't forget:

  • Win Coldplay tickets! Submit a photo of you reading the Seport Scene for a chance to win.
  • Submit your poems or stories for the Writers Corner
  • Send us your stunning images of the place we live.