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The Sun
Friday December 15, 2017
Caitlin’s sunflower a competition winner By Bill McElhinney Caitlin Alexander loves dancing, reading – and her big sunflower. Caitlin, four-and-half, goes to Witherlea Kindergarten in Blenheim, and over the past few months she and more than 200 children from Marlborough kindergartens have been attempting to grow the tallest sunflower and widest sunflower head. Seeds were provided by the Daltons garden group, who announced this week that Caitlin had the tallest sunflower, the third time a Witherlea pupil has won the competition. “Caitlin brought the seeds home and Dad, Ben, helped her plant it,” Mum Michelle says. “It’s the first time she has tried this. She filled her drink bottle and watered the plant most days, and it’s still growing. The flower at the top is just coming out. “Caitlin’s had great fun planting, watering and watching her sunflower grow,” Michelle says. “She was particularly excited when it grew taller than her!” The organisers say the biennial project is intended to create a fun environment for pre-school children to learn valuable gardening skills. The seeds provided are for the ‘Skyscraper’ sunflower, which can grow up to four metres tall.
Eckford Lodge Freemasons gathered to honour Harry Halliday. From left: Chris Hobbs, Buks Lundt, Rob Angelo, Owen Hughes, Azher Mir, Bill Ross, Peter Callahan, Patrick Johnstone, Bryan Lawless, Rowan Ingpen, Harry Halliday, Chris Williams.
Freemasons honoured
It’s still growing! Caitlin Alexander with her award-winning sunflower.
All of the winners from around the country will receive a prize from Daltons and The Warehouse, who came on as a project partner this year.
By Bill McElhinney When Harry Halliday became a Freemason in Invercargill over 50 years ago he knew nothing about Freemasonry. “I was a young man simply looking for an organisation to join where I could enjoy the company of other men,” Harry says. “What I discovered was a fraternity founded on the principles of tolerance, care, kindness, honesty and trust –values which I hold dear.” Harry and his wife Thelma moved to Marlborough and Harry joined the Eckford Masonic Lodge in Charles Street, becoming Lodge Master in 1993 and in 2003. Harry has also served as Lodge secretary/treasurer, assistant Pro-
many life-long friendships,” Harry says. “We have our serious side of course, with our ceremonies, but we also have a lot of fun. “We have many young men now joining the Craft, as we call it, and I hope I can give them the same support and encouragement that I have received from other members over the last 50 years.” The Freemasons also operate a charitable trust and have made donations to organisations such as Hospice Marlborough. Harry served on the Board of Benevolence from 2001 to 2006 and has also been chairman of the Nelson/Marlborough Freemasons Charity.
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vincial Grand Master and District Grand Master, visiting lodges throughout the Top of the South to meet and encourage members. Harry’s service to the craft was recognised at a special gathering of Freemasons on Saturday, when Grand Master Mark Winger presented him with a special apron and collar and Harry was invested as a past Grand Warden. “This is a mark of the respect in which we hold Harry and recognise his service to Freemasonry,” Mark says. “I have been fortunate to be Master of my Lodge on two occasions and also to have served as District Grand Master for Nelson Marlborough, and I have made
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Address Phone What year was The Sun first published? What street is BP Computers on?
Ph: (03) 577 9498 Est. 1997
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Wednesday