Sheryl Mai: Whangārei Civic Honours awarded, time to vote, Fringe Festival is on

It's time to vote. We all need to take an interest in how NZ is coping, what changes need to be made, and what we can do to prepare for the future, says Sheryl Mai.

FROM THE MAYOR'S DESK

On Friday I was thrilled to recognise four very special people at our 2020 Civic Honours Awards ceremony. Each of these people has contributed significantly to our community, and there is no doubt their efforts have made Whangārei District a better place.

Rosemary Sanderson, Terence Ward, John Shanks and Betty Hooper have set shining examples of what can be achieved when we work towards communal goals, thinking of the greater good and the future of our entire community.

We all need to take an interest in how New Zealand is coping, what changes need to be made and what we can do to prepare for the future.

Polling booths are open across our district, with advance voting giving us more time than ever to pop in and vote. Take a look on the Vote.nz website to find your nearest polling booth, or call the Electoral Commission freephone number 0800 36 76 56 for more help.

Forum North has a polling booth in Te Kotahitanga which is open every day until October 17 (9-6pm weekdays, 8-4pm weekends). Please exercise your right to vote and be part of the decision-making community.

In New Zealand we are particularly lucky in that we can gather in large numbers, where many other countries are still under Covid-19 restrictions. This means we can celebrate events such as our Civic Honours Awards, gather in physical locations to vote, travel around New Zealand and enjoy sporting events and concerts.

The Whangārei Fringe Festival is just one of the many exciting events lined up for spring 2020, and I can't wait to attend many of the shows and installations. Featuring more than 230 performances, Whangārei Fringe Festival runs from Friday, October 9 through to Sunday, October 25.

From its humble beginnings in Edinburgh in 1947, Fringe has spread around the world, encouraging artists to challenge our sense of normal. Congratulations to the organisers and artists bringing their talents to us.

Yesterday we were treated to a taste of Fringe delights at the Hātea Me Hearties Buskers Festival along the Town Basin waterfront. The vibrant Buskers Festival offered a variety of performance art, amazing food and fantastic music, and lit up our waterfront with life and colour. This is exactly what we all needed after a year of being on high alert.

Of course, we can't relax completely yet, as Covid-19 is still a very real risk. To that end, I encourage everyone to safely gather together to vote this week and safely attend Fringe Festival events.

I think the themes of summer 2020 will continue to be: wash your hands, stay home if sick, watch your water use (we're in for another dry summer) and above all, celebrate living in the wonderful, safe bubble we call home.

• Sheryl Mai is mayor of Whangārei.