Dannevirke: Challenge laid bare to club's strippers

Terry Hynes, of Dannevirke Lions Club, with Simon Cooper, his wife Dorri and sons Arthur, Lance and George, working to restore the windows of the Fountain Theatre, as part of a community project.

The sign outside Dannevirke's Fountain Theatre said, "Strip Club, strippers in action", but there was no need for residents to avert their eyes, because instead of naked flesh there were naked windows.

The community project was less about taking off clothes and more about putting new life back into the theatre's facade, although Lions Club member Terry Hynes was heard to mutter quietly, "by private arrangement", when asked about his strippers.

"We met Simon Cooper who was demonstrating his paint stripping products at the Dannevirke and Districts A&P show," Mr Hynes said.

"We asked if he could come and give us a demonstration here at the theatre as we've taken on some work on the exterior as a Lions Club project. We were delighted when Mr Cooper and his family offered to step in and spend all day with us on the work.

"So now our Lions Club members are associates of the strip club and we're loving it. But it's been very hard work."

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Mr Cooper said his company takes on community projects from time-to-time.

"As a family, with my wife and three sons this is something we can knock out in a day or two and we've been happy to help," he said.

And while Mr Hynes admitted that perhaps the Lions Club members were causing some chaos and mayhem as they performed some dubious stripping moves, he said the project had taken between 30 and 40 man-hours, with some serious paint stripping undertaken.

"The window frames were thick with peeling paint and quite a job," he said.

Gary Mitchelmore, president of the Dannevirke Theatre Society, was delighted the old matai windows were getting a facelift.

"This is an old, 1900s turn-of-the-century building and the Lions have offered to help with basic maintenance in return for use of the theatre," he said.

"A while ago Gwen Fairbrother gave us funds to purchase the building next door and we have plans to earthquake strengthen that building and the theatre with steel girders, but with the cost well over $100,000 the project could be three or four years, or even a decade away.

"In the meantime we're carrying out basic maintenance and so we struck a deal with the Lions for the work.

The theatre company will hold its annual general meeting on Sunday, March 15, where the staged rebuild of the theatre will be on the agenda.