Calendar hails suburb's heroes

Taekwondo instructor and calendar hero Ben Evans. Photo / Warren Buckland

Taylor Greening enjoying the launch.

An official launch at Flaxmere's Te Aranga Marae last night celebrated the community stalwarts selected for the Flaxmere Heroes 2015 Calendar.

Among the more than 100 guests were the 12 heroes and their supporters, as well as the calendar's sponsors and members of the public.

Flaxmere councillor Henare O'Keefe MCed the launch, saying there was "no shortage of heroes" in his neighbourhood.

"This is the evening where we celebrate - where we shout it from the rooftops, what a great suburb Flaxmere is."

It is the sixth calendar, which is sponsored by Hawke's Bay Today.

The calendar is the work of the Flaxmere U-Turn Trust and was born during the 2008 "Enough is Enough" hikoi against violence, which was a march from Flaxmere to inner city Hastings as a result of a home invasion.

Mr O'Keefe's daughter was the victim of the home invasion when three men broke into her home.

As a result Mr O'Keefe instigated the calendar in 2009. The project aims to encourage and uplift the community by showcasing the achievements of local people.

On Saturday from 8am, a team of volunteers will personally deliver the calendars to every family in Flaxmere.

Mr O'Keefe said the Tunu Tunu BBQ would be simmering in the background for the few hours it would take to deliver the calendars to 2882 houses.

"It's highly likely that this is the only Christmas present some of these families will get." Among the heroes featured in this year's calendar were long-serving Flaxmere councillor Keriana Poulain, special needs taekwondo instructor Benjamin Evans and Olympic swimmer and former Flaxmere swim coach Willie Benson. "It's a huge honour to be in this calendar," Mr Evans said.

"I do it for the kids because I love seeing what it does for them."

FLAXMERE HEROES
• Chris Eaton
• Paul Cook
• Keriana Poulain and Judy Baxter
• Ben Evans
• Willie Benson
• Taylor Greening
• Sharon and Viliamu Malaitai
• Ros Rowe
• Farrell and Connie Chrystal
• Brian Frederick Webb
• Derek Te Ariki
• Vicky Fameitau, Aria Rapaea-Wilson, Pelerose Vaima'a and Hineohomairangi Pineaha