Local Hero: Kiwi Encounter's Nicole Ruthie

Nicole Ruthie's interest in what happens at Kiwi Encounter has led to an increase in her volunteer work.
The 18-year-old started helping out for half a day and would be picked up at lunchtime. One day she asked kiwi keeper Carmel Richardson what they did in the afternoon.
"She kept asking what went on so we said she should stay one afternoon and we would show her - now she is with us the whole day," Ms Richardson said. "She's a good worker, very pleasant to have around."
Nicole works in the two areas with adult kiwi, responsible for their water dishes, making sure paths were clear and scrubbing their food boxes.
Nicole said she liked working with the birds as they were native and were "fluffy-looking".
She started when Kiwi Encounter was busy with eggs and chicks from last season and had seen a few hatch.
"That was pretty good," she said. "I watched it from when it was starting to hatch to when it came out. It was all wet."
She said she liked volunteering at Kiwi Encounter as it was peaceful and "not boring" and she had always liked kiwi. "You see lots of different things."
Nicole also volunteers with the SPCA and at the Rotorua District Council nursery.