The club helps people decorate their coffins, with the aim of helping people feel in control to the end and show who they are as individuals.
People have been able to showcase their interests and passions on their coffins throughout the years, with music, trains, cats and Elvis Presley just to name a few.
Katie says the history of Coffin Club Rotorua all began at a general meeting of Rotorua U3A (University of the Third Age).
"They wanted new clubs and were getting short of ideas. I said that I wanted to build my own coffin, I don't know where it came from, and there was dead silence."
However, when people had time to ponder the idea there was a group that were interested, she says.
The club started off in the carport of Katie's home and they met there every Wednesday to build, paint and decorate, until two years later there were coffins all over in rooms and space was running out to hold their morning teas.
"It was time to move out and along came the La Grouws, who offered us this place on Old Quarry Rd rent free."
This was in early 2013, and it became the Kiwi Coffin Club Charitable Trust at this stage, with a strong wish to help those that could not afford to have funerals with unlimited costs.
In 2019 the Kiwi Coffin Club Charitable Trust moved to a different premises.
However, within a short time Coffin Club Rotorua, including Katie, started up at the old premises and Katie says new OSH (Occupational Safety and Health) rules came out about this time too, meaning there were restricted to having no one in the workplace who did not have an education in working the like of saws and drills.
So now instead of building coffins, the club gets them as a basic shell from a supplier and concentrates on the artistic side of painting and decorating them.
She says it has been absolutely brilliant, and socialisation is also a big focus for the club.
The Coffin Club Rotorua was founded in 2010. Photo / Andrew Warner
"We are going through a silver tsunami, and socialisation for the elderly is a massive need in the community.
"We are actually a very big social group. People bring their excess fruit, vegetables and relishes, and play games.
"Some of the oldies have been coming since the beginning of the group and they don't do anything in the workshop any more, but they sit here, eat, and enjoy company.
"I think it's possibly the biggest highlight of their week for many of them."
Katie says the club also paints basic coffin shells in pale colours and people can buy them for about $500 or a little over.
"People can't afford to live and can't afford to die these days."
There has been a lot of interest in the club over the years and Katie says they had received inquiries from all over the world from people who were curious about the concept.
A musical-based documentary was even made with the club.
Created by filmmakers Briar March and Kim Harrop, the comedic documentary musical featured a group of the free-spirited seniors from Rotorua who formed the community group.
Katie says, "It's so gorgeous to watch the musical and it brings back so many memories, it was absolutely magical."
The Coffin Club Rotorua meets each Wednesday at 2 Old Quarry Rd from 9am to 1pm, and up to 50 people go along. For more information go to www.coffinclubrotorua.nz.
