Horowhenua volunteers recognised by Volunteer Central

Treva Wilson receives his certificate of appreciation. Photo / Kim Sargent

Volunteer Central in Palmerston North handed out almost 100 awards to volunteer workers around Manawatū, including a number from Horowhenua.

Skills4Living’s Barbara McGowan has been a financial mentor for seven years and six months. She was previously the treasurer as well as a mentor. She is a trained financial mentor and works with budget clients.

Barbara also volunteers her time with the 60s up Movement Levin branch and Levin and Districts Senior Citizen Incorporated as their treasurer/secretary, and it does not stop there.

Skills4Living financial mentor Barbara McGowan receives her certificate from Manawatū District Mayor Helen Worboys at the Volunteer Recognition Event in Palmerston North. Photo / Kim Sargent

She is treasurer for the Horowhenua Art Society, a phone councilor for the Citizens Advice Bureau, a repairer of knitting and crocheting for the Repair Cafe, and also belongs to Horowhenua Sugar craft, Creative Hands, WWI Craft group, Lunch Group, and Morning Tea Group, Girl Guides Trefoil Guild and Breath Easy.

Another recognised volunteer was Treva Wilson (96), who is a founding member of the adult day club and has been a tireless, constant, and much-valued volunteer for 34 years. Treva’s day club day begins very early helping to set up the daily activities, then driving locally and sometimes out of town to deliver guests to the club. Treva is loved by guests and volunteers for his quiet sense of humour, patience, and kindness. His wisdom and good sense is much appreciated by committee members. Treva will be 97 this year. He is still a committee member and guest driver for 34 years.

Other nominees from Horowhenua were:

Gaye Falkner and Lynette Metcalfe, Op Shop duty managers for Shannon Kai Hub; Sharon Williams, co-ordinator and mentor for five years for MentorED , Lisa Gilligan, mentor/volunteer for Skills4Living; Dave Grant, head kai packer for the Horowhenua Kai Club, Ezekiel Taylor (14), (Ngāti Porou) volunteer shelver for Libraries Horowhenua; Ron Gibbard , helper for MenzShed; Kevin Miles, president of the Horowhenua Family History Group; Maggie Peace, Prouse Bush Management Group; Arnim Lattik, community environmental volunteer with the Manawatū Estuary Trust; Dr Bob (Robert) Hoskin for the Wildlife Foxton Trust and the Manawatū Estuary Trust; Daphne Barrett, secretary of Horowhenua Breathe Easy; Horowhenua Health Shuttle secretary Marta Buchanan; Yvonne Seng (Ngāti Tukorehe, Ngāti Raukawa) for involvement with the Levin Basketball Association.

Special recognition was handed out on behalf of New Zeland’s Parliament for Essential Wellbeing Volunteers, Bev Young, Laurie St Clair, and Cliff Renner, for their involvement with the Essential Wellbeing Delivery Service, which started in September 2020 to enable people isolating from Covid-19 to receive food, medication, Rat tests, clothing, children’s activity parcels on request from the former DHB, pharmacies, and MSD Connector referrals.