Natalia Donaldson and Sue Langridge by a board charting the successful rebirth of Elske. Photo / Dave Murdoch
Natalia Donaldson and Sue Langridge by a board charting the successful rebirth of Elske. Photo / Dave Murdoch
It takes a lot of little things to come together for a successful outcome, and this philosophy applies to the new Elske group.
It is almost six months since the doors closed at the Anglican Church hall after 24 years of it being the venue for the Elske group, andfor a while the situation looked terminal.
But bit by bit, individual pieces of generosity glued together a new Elske, starting with an offer from Knox Church to be the host on Mondays after a big search for alternative venues and much goodwill being expressed by the public.
Of course, had it not been for the return of the original instigator of Elske 24 years ago, Sue Langridge, even then it may not have happened. She stitched together a group of volunteers who today provide the fellowship these elderly people yearned for, and the future now looks bright.
Last month, Sue took some time to say thank you to all those involved – the Dannevirke Library, which provided a temporary venue until Elske grew too big; the media for supporting the cause; Engraverlab for printing new name badges; Native Woodcraft for IT support; Tararua Mayor Tracey Collis for networking contacts; multiple donors of food supplies, of which there were too many to list; the Sports Centre Bowling Club for equipment; the Regent Theatre for providing entertainment; donations like Olive Bailey’s Garden Ramble money; Dannevirke Radio for advertising... the list goes on.
Hopefully the generosity will continue, and in June 2024 we will be able to celebrate the new Elske group’s first birthday.
Dave Murdoch is a part-time photojournalist working for the Bush Telegraph, based in Dannevirke. He has covered any community story relaying good news about the district for the last 10 years.
