Dargaville resident Ming Ming Edgars' dedication to blind cricket has paid off as he has made the NZ Blind Caps team, pictured back row second from the right with arms crossed. Photo / Supplied
Dargaville resident Ming Ming Edgars' dedication to blind cricket has paid off as he has made the NZ Blind Caps team, pictured back row second from the right with arms crossed. Photo / Supplied
KAIPARA CONNECTION
He may be blind but that hasn't stopped Ming Ming Edgar from becoming a pro at cricket.
Once a month for the last three years Ming Ming has hopped on a bus solo from his hometown in Dargaville and travelled to Auckland to play cricket and "hone" his skills withhis coach James Dunn.
And now his dedication has paid off as he has qualified to play with the New Zealand Blind Caps in an international tournament in South Africa in February next year.
"The news was really good, because I heard about it and when I was told I was named for it, I was smiling and felt proud of myself, because I worked hard for it.
"I am a bit of a sporty, I love my sport," he said enthusiastically.
There is no doubting Ming Ming's love of sport - he has also competed in swimming, javelin, shot put, discus and running in the past.
"I've done blind rugby, blind soccer, blind tennis, you name it, I've tried all that."
However he says qualifying for the Blind Caps team wasn't easy.
Ming Ming Edgar outside the Countdown Supermarket in Dargaville where he has been playing Christmas songs to raise funds for his trip to South Africa in February. Photo / Rose Stirling
"I've had to train hard and work hard and just you know work on things, trying different things and just give it a go and see how far I can try and just work on little bits and pieces, and just tidy up little things I've missed.
"When I first heard about it, I wasn't so sure, but once I got into the swing of it, I started to get the hang of it. Now I like every single bit, I just can't choose, I like everything about it (Cricket)."
When playing for the NZ Blind Caps Ming Ming is guided by an audible ball which is bowled underarm and can reach speeds of 100km/h.
"The only thing I haven't done yet, is catch a ball out yet, but at some stage it could happen, it might just happen, you never know, anything can happen," Ming Ming said, sounding upbeat.
The NZ Blind Caps are gearing up for their next international event when they take on Blindcricket South Africa in February 2020.
Ming Ming says to get there is going to cost the team a lot of money, so he's been busy all Christmas playing piano outside the Countdown supermarket in Dargaville trying to fundraise.
Ming Ming says he's never been to South Africa before and can't wait. "I'm going with some good friends from Auckland, it's going to be a blast."
A Givealittle page has been set up to help fund the team to get there and so far it's raised almost $5000 of the $75,000 needed to get them there.
Christmas Dinner for the elderly
A free community Christmas dinner for the elderly is now set to become an annual event.
Mel Huang takes a break in his commercial kitchen to pose for a photo with some of his adoring fans - members of the elderly community who enjoyed the free Christmas dinner.
Caterer Mel Huang hosted a free Christmas Dinner for the elderly in Dargaville last week and it was a huge success with over 60 people attending.
As well as food two local choirs came to sing and entertain the crowds.
Now he says he wants to do it again. "This will definitely become an annual event, it's been a tremendous success," he said.
Mel says the event will be held in the town hall next year, "and all the volunteers have booked themselves in again".
"I definitely owe a big thank you to all the volunteers who have made the event more special. Their eagerness to help is highly commendable and cements Dargaville as a caring town with a heart."
Janneke Gilligan who volunteered on the night said, "It was an amazing evening and I feel so blessed for being able to volunteer. Mel and Mary you two are such dear people for putting this together".
Fellow volunteer Rosina Tuinier said it had been a wonderful evening, "Mel and his team rocked and it was an absolute privilege to be a part of it."
One of Mel's close friends and fellow volunteer on the night, Mary Underwood, posted on social media saying a massive thank you to all who volunteered last night for Mel's catering the annual Christmas dinner. "We couldn't have done it without you."
As well as the dinner Mel supplied gift boxes to the elderly who attended.
The box included Christmas tarts, rum balls and pistachio and cranberry shortbread.
Dinner on the night included a scrumptious array of starters that included devils on horseback, stuffed baked kumara, Moroccan sweet corn fritters and an array of empanadas.
Dinner was a choice of ham on the bone with a peach and pineapple chutney or Swedish meatballs with homemade gravy and scalloped potatoes as well as a mango mesclun salad and a choice of three desserts which included sherry trifle, chocolate cheesecake brownie and or a strawberry custard pinwheel Danish.
Steps taken to protect historic lighthouse
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga has taken steps towards protecting one of the Kaipara's iconic heritage structures.
Temporary fencing and signage around the Kaipara North Head Lighthouse.
The country's lead heritage agency has established a temporary fence around the Lighthouse to protect a planting area which is being developed, and to discourage vehicles from getting too close to the historic structure.
The Kaipara North Head Lighthouse is one of the few remaining wooden lighthouse in New Zealand, and was built 135 years ago to help safeguard shipping coming into and out of the Kaipara Harbour.
Today, people can still view the lighthouse, and many people take advantage of the opportunity to visit this maritime heritage site – including many four-wheel drive enthusiasts.
"It's great that this first phase is now under way and we are asking that people respect the boundary and keep all vehicles outside of the fence area," said Natalie McCondach of Heritage New Zealand.
"The future of this lighthouse depends on all of us – so we're just reminding all visitors to take care around this special landmark."
Work to protect the lighthouse and the immediate surrounding area will continue next year, led by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga with support from the Department of Conservation and Waikaretu Marae as kaitiakitanga, and the wider community.
Coming Up: The Pouto Lighthouse Challenge, Saturday February 15, 2020. Look out for more details soon.
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