Weekend Sun 02/12/11

d n e k e e w e th

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2 December 2011, Issue 575

The Bay’s largest circulating, most read newspaper.

63,360 copies

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Horses for courses

INSIDE his week t

TRAFFIC CHAOS 2 11TH AVENUE UPGRADE 3 CAPOEIRA CRAZE 7 MATHS MINDS 8 CHRISTMAS GIFTS 20-23 FINANCE 26-27 FOOD 22 SUNLIVE 31-33 HEALTH 35-37 LETTERS 38-39 WHAT’S ON 40-44 CLASSIFIEDS 46-51

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The Bay’s largest circulating, most read newspaper.

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Charity ride to help See page 15 family

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Every day after school Mary Mitchell heads to a friend’s farm in Pahoia to train four horses – riding, jumping and mucking in for three hours – before returning home to Tauriko for the study commitments of a Year 12 student. The Otumoetai College student’s busy routine has just got a little easier with the end of NCEA exams, freeing her up to train even harder for upcoming show jumping events and building on a string of recent successes. This weekend she is competing at the Cambridge A & P Show, but her next big focus is the highly-regarded Taupo Christmas Classic in a fortnight, where she will be among 600 riders taking part. Read more on page 12. Pictured: Tauriko’s rising show jumping star Mary Mitchell, with her horse Jumping Jack Splash. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

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The Weekend Sun

The Weekend Sun is published every Friday, circulating throughout the Western Bay of Plenty, delivered free to 63,350 homes of more than 157,300 residents from Waihi Beach, through Katikati, Tauranga, Mt Maunganui, Papamoa and Te Puke including rural and residential mailboxes.

THE BAY’S MOST READ NEWSPAPER. The Weekend Sun is produced by Sun Media Ltd, an independent and locally owned company based at 1 The Strand, Tauranga.

Sun Media also publishes Waterline and Coast & Country

Sun Media Ltd Directors: Claire & Brian Rogers General Manager: Ross Brown Editorial: Andrew Campbell, Edward Scragg, Sheryl Brown, Laura Weaser, Hamish Carter, Letitia Atkinson, Phillipa Yalden. Advertising: Kathy Andrews, Suzy King, Lois McKinley, Jo Dempsey, Daphne Keller, Kirsty Hutcheson, Gaylene Moore, Rose Hodges, Aimee-Leigh Brunsdon. Design Studio: Kym Johnson, James Carrigan, Donovan Boucher, Sarah Adamson, Kerri Wheeler, Kyra Duffy.

Office: Julie Commerer, Melanie Stone, Leah Rogers, Julia Price.

Progression, digression and those damned traffic lights We used to think Tauranga was a big place That must have been in the sixties, when we got our first set of traffic lights. when I was in shorts and roman sandals,

Tauranga Primary was the biggest school in town and the quickest way to the Mount was on Faulkner’s Ferries.

After the traffic lights, the first escalator was a monumental day for Tauranga folk, who no longer had to travel to Auckland to experience such advances in technology. (Was it Farmers or the Westpac Mall between Grey and Devonport? And did it go down or only up? Drop me a line if you know to help end the family debate.)

Mind you, it all paled in significance compared to the wondrous flying fox cashier system that whizzed around the lofty old airspace above Hartleys. That had to be seen to be believed and was almost worth putting up with an hour of dress material shopping with mother just to see the flying fox in action.

Anyway, I digress. Back to the traffic lights. There is now talk of a further four sets being poked in along Cameron Road – a main artery already well punctuated with controlled intersections. (Read more on page 3) The council is talking about adding lights at Third, Ninth, Spring and Chadwick.

That will make 13 sets in total and probably require motorists to take a packed lunch if they intend to traverse the length of Cameron. I’d have thought this road had enough controlled intersections, but hey, being just humble villagers, what would we know?

Clearly there are cleverer brains than us mere ratepayers making these decisions. Doesn’t seem to make sense to replace a roundabout with lights though, does it?

What it does reflect, however, is the continual growing pains of a city expanding and squirming a little uncomfortably under the pressure of burgeoning population growth. A bit like those feet inside those roman sandals.

We see that every week at the Sun, having to constantly increase the print numbers to keep pace with the region’s ever increasing number of letterboxes.

The regional council tell us that 3000 more people settle in the Bay each year.

Interesting, that our friends at the old daily paper don’t have the same problem, in fact the Australian-owned daily’s circulation has been steadily dropping for

Sun Media owner/editor Brian Rogers

years, (see Audit Bureau of Circulation) despite the Bay’s population explosion.

Makes the Sun look a much better marketing vehicle, don’t you think? More than three times the coverage and rated as the region’s best read newspaper (Nielsen surveys).

We don’t bother to comment on what other publications do, until they start taking ‘potshots’ at us; lately that’s become a regular occurrence. I guess when their market share is dwindling,

lights. The thought of 13 sets along the length of Cammers – the city’s backbone – really does send a shiver down my spine.

It makes Route K suddenly look a bit more appealing and a buck fifty (from January) not a bad price to avoid the pending frustration overdose that will soon be inflicted upon us.

Also makes the foresight of Routes P, J and K all the more remarkable.

It has many detractors (although I suspect, some more vocal, distorting the true number) but it cannot be denied that whatever the cost, this road is a brilliant piece of future proofing for a fast growing region.

If it hadn’t been built when it was, we’d still be sitting in strangulating traffic on poor old Cameron, complaining bitterly that ‘someone’ should have built a bypass years ago.

Pretty much like the angst that Te Puke and Katikati are going through now.

For future generations, hopefully they will realise that at least some foresight was shown by our generations when they nabbed PJK corridors before they were snatched up by developers. That was a ballsy decision to keep these essential routes free, even if we, the forebears have to cough up the equivalent price of a litre of milk in the early days to use it.

Makes sense therefore that we leave a bit of the debt for them to take care of too.

After all, it would have been a lot more costly for them if the road hadn’t been built.

Cogitate that during lunch, while you’re waiting at red lights at Elizabeth, Second, Third, Ninth, 11th, 15th...

Parting thought

then lashing out at the successful locals is a natural reaction.

Rest assured the Sun is the proven best marketing media in the region, no matter how others may try to cloud the statistics with complicated combinations of tinpot circulations.

Simply, the Sun goes further, to more mailboxes, is better read, better respected and (most important) gets advertisers the best results for their dollar.

You readers keep telling us you’re pretty chuffed, too!

But I digress again. Back to the traffic

Why did the traffic light go red?

You would too, if you had to change in front of people.

Jed and Ned were driving down the road in Jed’s car, when Jed ran a red light.

Ned was a bit perplexed. Then Jed ran another. Ned asked why didn’t he stop at red lights. Jed said it was something his father had taught him. Then they came up to a green light and Jed slowed and stopped. Ned asked why. Jed replied: “Because Dad might be becoming the other way.” brian@thesun.co.nz

IMPORTANT STUFF: All material is copyright and may not be reproduced without written permission of the publishers. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers. The Weekend Sun takes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all published information however will not be liable in any way for errors or omissions or the subsequent use of information published. All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism. The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement. How is it one careless match can start a bushfire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

3

The Weekend Sun

New look for city’s main arterial route

Cameron Road is set for a major facelift with current works upgrades to be completed today and the possibility of an additional four sets of traffic lights to be installed on the road.

Works on the intersection upgrade of Cameron Road and 11th Avenue are finishing today, Friday, a week ahead of schedule.

Tauranga City Council transportation operations manager Martin Parkes says council is “very pleased” with the $1.6 million upgrade, which is currently on budget.

People can expect a new road layout at the intersection, with additional cycle lanes, added islands and more efficient traffic lights.

The previously banned right hand turn from 11th Avenue Memorial Park side onto Cameron Road will become a permanent feature of the intersection.

“We re-instated that manoeuvre five months ago just to try and see whether it would have any impact on the efficiency of the intersection as we noticed people were actually doing that anyway,” says Martin.

“Everything has seemed to be okay, so that will now be part of the

permanent layout.”

There is an advanced cycle box areas for cyclists waiting at the traffic lights.

“Drivers will need to be aware of the new cycle lanes and not to stray into those areas, as they are for cyclists.”

Additional pedestrian facilities featuring two-staged crossings from Carpet Court to McDonalds and from Kiwi Bank to Shell petrol station have been installed and will be switched on and commissioned on Friday.

“Pedestrians will need to push the button, cross to the middle and push another button to complete the crossing,” says Martin.

There are additional islands on 11th Avenue near the St John and Christopher Street intersection to discourage the right hand turns out of the those two side roads, which are currently banned.

“The right hand manoeuvres were causing a lot of the crashes in that area.”

Martin says traffic lights at the intersection have all been upgraded with a new controller so the lights can work more efficiently.

Cameron Road may also be getting an additional four sets of traffic lights, taking the total number of lights on the main arterial road

from nine to 13.

As part of Tauranga City Council’s 10 Year Plan the intersections of Cameron Road and Third Avenue, Ninth Avenue, Chadwick Street and Spring Street are planned for an upgrade to traffic lights.

With Cameron Road attracting on average between 27,000 and 28,000 vehicles a day, Martin says there needs to be control at intersections to allow access for all road users.

“Otherwise side traffic will never be able to get out safely. Any city with that volume of traffic is going to require some sort of control, be it roundabout or signals.”

“In an urban environment, signals is the better option because it provides for all user groups.”

Martin says the installation of traffic lights can cost anything between $300,000 and $600,000, depending on the site and type of works.

In addition to the four intersections on Cameron Road, the draft plan also includes the addition of traffic lights at the corner of Devonport Road and 11th Avenue, Waihi Road and Bellevue Road, Fraser Street and Courtney Road.

Martin is currently undertaking a review of the draft plan for the installation of traffic lights along Cameron Road.

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4

The Weekend Sun

Stamping out McLaren Falls vandalism Senior secondary students caught vandalising McLaren Falls Park are repairing the damage under a tough stance by park staff.

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McLaren Falls Park ranger Gary Borman is hoping the firm stand will minimise damage caused by other students celebrating the end of exams by discouraging similar behaviour.

After camping in the park last weekend, a group of seven youths torched a couch they had brought with them, causing a water main to burst from a melted pipe. They also hacked trees in the area with an axe and damaged newly-laid grass on the camping field by doing ‘doughnuts’.

“It doesn’t happen very often, but it definitely seems to happen a lot more at this time of the year when the older students finish their exams and are off celebrating,” says Gary.

“They can be just little nuisances in the park.”

Gary doubts the problem will ever completely go away because of the inability to control those using the park, but believes forcing the students to take responsibility will help.

The students have agreed to repay the $450 cost of repairing the water main, are returning to the park to sow more grass in the damaged field and have apologised in writing to park staff.

Gary says the problem is restricted to McLaren Falls Park because unlike other parks, people can drive through the park roads and camp overnight.

In return for taking responsibility for their actions, Gary is not involving the police, but says similar problems caused by school leavers will be handed over to the police to deal with.

By Hamish Carter

McLaren Falls park ranger Gary Borman looks on in frustration at the vandalism caused by campers, while Tauranga City Council contractor Murray Martin repairs a damaged water main.

Photo by Bruce Barnard.

Coromandel residents say no to mining Protestors are taking a stand in Coromandel against mining in the area.

Anti-mining group Coromandel Watchdog, along with local residents, is planning more resistance movements after earlier this week blocking Newmont mining activities in forestry and conservation land in the Kauaeranga Valley near Thames.

Protestors stopped surveyors from entering the valley, before escorting them out of the area.

Coromandel Watchdog coordinator Renee Annan says they discovered Newmont was carrying out geophysical surveys with a view of mining in the valley.

“The Kauaeranga Valley is a highly valued recreational area with more than 80,000 people

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Residents blocked surveyors’ entry to the forestry, preventing them from carrying out ground resistivity tests which would identify potential gold deposits.

Staff then decided to leave the valley and were escorted out by 50 people waving banners saying ‘No Mining’.

Renee says they know Newmont and other mining companies have applications or existing permits to explore a large part of the northern Coromandel.

She says part of this is in Schedule Four land.

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Renee says local residents are determined to protect the Coromandel from any more mining and are very concerned about the toxic legacy recently identified in a subdivision in Thames.

“We have enough issues to deal with from historical mining, the last thing we need is Newmont expanding out of Waihi into our precious conservation places.”

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The Weekend Sun

Matchbox toy trail Tauranga Toy Run organisers Jill de Buisson and Sarah Ellis and Child Cancer Foundation Bay of Plenty funding manager Delwynne Hahunga are hoping for about 200 classic cars and hot rods at next week’s annual toy run fundraiser. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

Hot rod and classic car enthusiasts are polishing up their cars ahead of the annual charity fundraising Tauranga Toy Run next week.

Now in its eighth year, organisers Sarah Ellis and Jill de Buisson are expecting another successful event on Wednesday, with all money raised going to Waipuna Hospice and toys donated to the Child Cancer Foundation in Tauranga.

“It’s always a success with about 200 hot rods and classic cars taking part,” says Sarah.

“It would be one of New Zealand’s largest cruises.

“Hot rodding is very strong in the area and everyone loves to support the toy run because it’s a great cause with all money going to charity.”

Last year the event rose more than $2000 and filled a ute tray with donated toys. Participants donate money or new toys to enter and then follow a set route around Tauranga. Only new toys are accepted for health reasons.

The owners of hotrods, street machines, classic cars, muscle cars and vintage cars are invited to take part in the event.

“It’s open to a wide range of cars – just no rotaries, no Japanese cars and no motorbikes.”

Baypark is the meeting place for the cruise and drivers follow a route through Papamoa, Mount Maunganui and back to Tauranga.

The event starts at 6pm next Wednesday. After the run, cars meet at Fraser Cove Shopping Centre from 7.15pm, where the public can view the cars and make donations.

“We really want the public to get down and support it because it’s helping make a big difference for these children and the hospice,” says Sarah.

By Hamish Carter

6

The Weekend Sun

Racing the big jolly man in a red suit

Santa Claus is running to town for KidsCan. From left, Darren Blackwell, Shauni Blackwell, Casey Blackwell, Annete Winter and Dennis De Monchy. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

Santa has decided to start his training for Christmas early after a year of relaxing, and wants everyone to join him.

Santa and fellow Santas are running round the Mount on December 7 at 6.30pm as part of The Great New Zealand Santa Run. He’s a little self conscious that he’s let himself go, so if you join him for the KidsCan Great New Zealand Santa Run, you get to wear a red suit too.

Last year’s event raised $10,000 for KidsCan and the goal this year is to double that figure to $20,000.

One of the many KidsCan programmes distributes food to 20,000 disadvantaged children at schools, meaning they can concentrate on their education rather than their rumbling stomachs.

Santa is starting and finishing on the Main Beach in front of the cafes and running anticlockwise around Mauao – about 3.5km – so runners get to enjoy the views as well.

The KidsCan Charitable Trust is encouraging businesses, individuals, families and groups of friends to get behind the event. Participants can run it, walk it, skip it, hop it – finish it however they like, as long as they do it in the official five piece suit which is

included with the adult registration fee.

Lactic Turkey Events started this event in Auckland in 2008 and it has now grown to be in seven locations around New Zealand at the same time.

Last year, there were more than 600 Santas nationwide and this year there is already more than 700 people registered with two weeks to go.

Prizes are awarded to male and female winners along with the best dressed male, female, child and best all round corporate team at each event location.

Every participant also receives their own goodie bag.To enter visit www.santarun.co.nz

7

The Weekend Sun

More than sport and art; it’s a lifestyle When Capoeira instructor Tulio Costa began teaching the sport in Tauranga, no one knew what it was.

Five years later, capoeira is becoming a recognised sport, with participation growing all around the country.

Tulio describes capoeira as a game, a sport, an art, but most importantly, a lifestyle. Originating in Brazil, capoeira is an art form that combines attack and defence movements with music, rhythm and ‘axe’ (energy).

The pursuit is a cultural experience that can initially have people apprehensive, but eventually hooked for life says Tulio.

“Taking part in capoeira means exposing yourself, showing the real you and it can take a long time before people are fully into it.

“When students come to class, it is more than just to get fit, but a total cultural experience where they can also express their personality.”

Tulio teaches Capoeira Brazil – a particular type of style and movement founded by Mestre Bimba.

The Tauranga group has about 50 members, which make up the 50,000 students in 33 countries around the world.

“As well as adults, I teach in schools, working with children in primary and secondary schools and the kids love it,” says Tulio. “The whole country is starting to understand capoeira.

“Just recently, we were invited to perform a roda (a performance circle where capoeiristas perform) at the Rugby World Cup. It was an amazing experience and a great way to show capoeira to the country.”

Capoeira performances are part of the fifth Brazilian Festival on December 10, 1pm at The Strand. Check out next week’s The Weekend Sun for festival information. To join Capoeira Brazil, visit www.capoeirabrasil. co.nz/index.html

Capoeiristas Gustavo Nunes (Corvinho) performs with Tauranga Capoeira Brazil instructor Tulio Costa (Instructor Mercurio), with Donovan Boucher (Creativo) on the berimbau.

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The Weekend Sun

Programming math minds Tahatai Coast School pupil Bailey Pellow and Waikato University maths education specialist Nigel Calder bring maths to life on the computer. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

Like them or loathe them, some computer games have been given the big tick for helping students improve their mathematics skills.

A new book by Tauranga academic Dr Nigel Calder showing children’s understanding of math concepts are boosted by using some computer programs may take away classic parent ammunition for limiting children’s computer time, but it’s not all bad news.

The Waikato University maths specialist says his research shows problem-solving types of computer games, spreadsheets, graphs and other interpretations of data can visually bring mathematical concepts to life.

Nigel says success comes from balancing the new approach with pen and paper exercises, however – students still needing to develop a mental understanding and ability to manipulate numbers in their head.

“The use of digital technologies would be to enhance classroom programmes, not to be the whole maths programme – and of course not all computer games or programs have any benefit.”

Nigel’s book ‘Processing Mathematics Through Digital Technologies’ looks at the way children’s understanding develops with learning alternatives offered through digital technologies.

“Often students will see a surprising result and then question how the result was reached. It stimulates mathematical thinking.”

Tahatai Coast School principal Jenny Griggs is not surprised by the research, saying the findings were in keeping with her experience. The school was one of eight in the Western Bay of Plenty involved in the four year research project.

“Basically it’s the engagement that the computer provides for the student because of the interaction it offers. That’s what engages students.”

By Hamish Carter

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9

The Weekend Sun

Council labelled ‘Anti Smoking Nazis’ The mad rush to Christmas means lots of meetings at council being crammed – just like exams at school.

Seems it’s like this to accommodate the holiday period when many staff take vacations. Council won’t meet again after Christmas until late January.

Elected members need to have their wits about them as we are covering the whole of council’s activities in a short time to produce a draft three year/Ten Year Plan for your consultation in March/April.

At strategy and policy committee, elected members received a request from the Welcome Bay Community and Te Tai Ora Health for creation of a smokefree policy in the Eastern suburbs.

Not a ban, a smokefree policy is intended to be a voluntary cessation of smoking on council land that is self policing.

The closure of the Mount Hot Pools will impact on their finances in next year’s accounts, so this year’s accounts aren’t fully reflective of the closure.

elected members queried it.

In fact, it was to do with grants for the TECT Arena that produced this fantasy result.

Oh the PC world we live in, but TCVL general manager Ervin McSweeney reassured us that the two centres were doing well.

The TECT Arena was 50 per cent ahead of budget, catering up 25 per cent on budget, stadium up 20-25 per cent, and only the speedway under budget.

This was due mainly to the cancellation of the fireworks display so as not to frighten the Dotterels that were being housed nearby to protect them from the Rena oil spill. Investigations are to be made to claim a loss from Rena insurers. Good luck on that one!

In response to elected member questions, we were told that they may run a fireworks display in the new year.

Speedway food faux pas

I have already received feedback (some quite loud) accusing council of being ‘Anti Smoking Nazis’ to quiet encouragement – ‘Good idea’.

Council will receive a report on implications before taking the matter further.

As an avid non smoker, but the son of an avid smoker, I get to understand both sides of the issue.

My late mum (no, the fags weren’t to blame) advocated strongly her right to smoke in her home and out in public.

At our house we insisted she smoke outside and that caused some friction that was hard for everybody – so it’s not something to be taken lightly.

It was with some bemusement that I noted the report in the Bay Times.

Their reporter wasn’t present to hear first hand what went on. This happens quite a lot, so at best it’s second hand news/smoke.

The ridiculous security searching of patrons for food and drink at the first speedway night was attributed by Ervin to an “error of judgement” by the security firm.

I might have used a stronger term of phrase.

This is Tauranga and we don’t need those big city strong arm tactics here – especially for the family speedway image that is being promoted.

For those of you who were justifiably offended, please give speedway another chance.

TCVL directors fees paid in 2011 were Rex Pollock, John Adshead, Bernie Gillon, Daryl French and Graeme Elvin – $10,000 each! Stuart Crosby is an unpaid director.

Pool directors paid

Tauranga City Aquatics Ltd (TCAL), which runs the pools, was next up. The presentation went surprisingly smoothly considering the rocky road TCAL has travelled over the past few months.

Accounting illusions all fantasy

At projects and monitoring, the committee received annual reports from council controlled organisations (CCO).

Tauranga City Venues Ltd (TCVL), which runs Baypark Stadium and the new TECT Arena, reported a surplus of $3,530,000. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Unfortunately that is an accounting illusion produced by auditing requirements and/or ‘International Practise’ – so our finance controller advised when

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Repair works closed the Mount Hot Pools for about 18 weeks.

There will be a $55,000 upgrade (at last!) of changing facilities at Otumoetai.

Mount Hot Pools will revert to real saltwater this week – changing from freshwater with salt added. This went on while the Rena oil leak issue was in effect.

Directors fees paid in 2011 were Warren Banks $22,700, Shirley Baker $20,600, Hemi Rolleston $2800 (per year) and Mike King $16,400.

Mike is based in Australia and his travel and accommodation costs were $20,487.

David Stewart, an unpaid director, resigned at the beginning of the year.

Warren Banks and Mike King have also since resigned.

A CCO too many?

Tauranga City Investments Ltd (TCIL), the company that holds the shares in the CCOs at arm’s length from council, tabled its report.

Directors are all council staff members who are unpaid in this role, but I noted $7860 audit fees.

Elected members queried the need for this company and were advised that some of the necessity had disappeared.

The whole CCO set up is up for review before Christmas and there could be changes, but what to?

Coming back in house may give more control – it may also bring back political interference.

My mind is open to all options, but I have noted in the past that actually doing the commercial activity is not a local government strong point.

There are other models that might work, but having the media present at board meetings is not conducive to good commercial decision making in my opinion.

Imagine the boards of Trustpower, Port of Tauranga or Fletchers having the media sit in, or best, querying a ‘Public Excluded’ section.

This week’s mindbender: ‘You ain’t going nowhere son, you ought to go back to driving a truck.’ – The Grand Ole Opry’s Jim Denny to Elvis Presley, 1954. (Who was Jim Denny?)

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The Weekend Sun

Boardwalk mooted for Pilot Bay The city council is considering a $420,000 boardwalk to address the wear and tear problems with the grass area in Pilot Bay. A boardwalk was selected from a range of options presented at this week’s annual plan hearing, before putting its recommendations out for public consultation.

The problem is the dirt track worn into the western end of the grass area, created by the thousands of people who use the bay year round.

Pilot Bay costs the council $12,000 a year for maintenance at present. Parks staff are recommending the council act on the wear and tear issue in the 2012 year.

The options include re-turfing the

affected areas at an estimated cost of $90,000 or constructing pathways with the costs varying depending on materials.

The grow-through turf option has a life of 15 years and will be paid out of the operational budget, meaning no additional borrowing will be required.

A gravel path is estimated to cost $145,000. It is expected to last for eight years and cost $15,000 a year in maintenance, plus $27, 550 a year in debt servicing and depreciation.

A concrete path will cost about $175,000, last for 50 years and cost $1000 a year in maintenance. Debt servicing and depreciation will cost $14,875 p.a.

A boardwalk is estimated to cost $420,000, last 20 years and cost $2000

a year to maintain. Debt servicing and depreciation will cost $48,300 p.a. The council decided the boardwalk option will be paid for over two years.

Wider public comment on this matter will be sought through the consultation period for the draft 2012-2022 Ten Year Plan.

In January 2011, a survey of people in Pilot Bay showed there are concerns about parking, a desire for more wash down areas (showers), litter bins, barbecues and shade. People said they want more signs about opportunities in the area, including activities and walking routes. More than half of Pilot Bay’s visitors at the time of the survey were from beyond the BOP region.

By Andrew Campbell

Underwater photography practise session If you’re going to Tonga to photograph humpback whales with a new underwater camera system, a test dive beforehand is a good idea.

Baywave’s warm pool is a great place to do it. This image of my friend Katy was taken with a Lumix GF2 camera in a Recsea housing.

Join Andy next September to swim with humpback whales. For more details visit www.andybelcher.com

YOUR HOME FOR GIVING

12

THE HOTTEST EVENTS ARE DOWNTOWN TAURANGA Wow Christmas is fast approaching and to celebrate we have some great events in Downtown Tauranga for you to enjoy. A must event to attend is the Dutch Festival on the Waterfront celebrating Saint Nicholaas on Saturday 3rd December from 12.00 to 3.30pm. With plenty of entertainment for the kids and Dutch treats to sample this festival has it all and it is free to attend.

On the following Saturday 10th December you will be treated to the rhythmic drums and Capoeira at the Brazilian Music Festival and Carnival. Experience a taste of Brazil right here on the Strand in Downtown Tauranga between 1pm and 5pm.

For more details on what’s on in Downtown Tauranga visit our website www.downtowntauranga.co.nz

WHAT’S HOT Downtown Tauranga has an amazing Santa Sack worth $10,000 to give away. Simply shop in Downtown Tauranga between now and 20th December, fill out an entry form and go into the draw to win some awesome prizes. One winner will walk away with an amazing Christmas present just for doing their shopping with us.

Hey Kids, tell Santa what you would like for Christmas. Pop your letter in to Santa’s mailbox on the base of the Christmas tree in Red Square by Wednesday 14th December and Santa will send you a letter through the mail in return. Don’t forget to print your address clearly on your letter.

LOOKS GOOD, TASTES GREAT! But don’t just take our word for it; check out the independent restaurant reviews on our website.

Find the perfect dinner experience for any occasion, plan a Christmas lunch with friends or a romantic dinner.

Anything and everything catered on a plate just for you.

The Weekend Sun

Taking a new walk through Te Puke

Te Puke Community Board chairperson Karyl Gunn at the new Te Puke walkway.

Photo by Tracy Hardy.

Stage one of the Te Puke Town Centre Development Plan is officially opening today, encouraging the community to come down and try out the new walkway.

The heritage walkway runs along Jellicoe Street to Commerce Lane and though to Jubilee Park, with the installation of a pedestrian strip across Commerce Lane.

The idea is to connect the streets together, making the park more accessible for not just Te Puke resi-

dents, but also visitors to the town.

The walkway is part of the Town Centre Development Plan adopted by council in 2007.

Focus Te Puke spokesperson Mark Boyle says the walkway, in conjunction with the new building for the jewellery shop, has been welcomed by the local business community.

“Te Puke locals are upbeat and positive about this first step in the town centre development,” says Mark.

“With plans for an upgrade of Jubilee Park facilities and the progression of a new commercial development in 2012, Te Puke is seen as being proactive for growth

and development into the years ahead.”

The town centre plans are expected to continue and develop during the next year says Mark. These plans include a giant kiwifruit sculpture at the park, a water feature, an amphitheatre, cultural courtyard and the first destination playground.

The walkway is officially being opened by Western Bay of Plenty mayor Ross Patterson and Bay of Plenty National MP Tony Ryall today at 3.30pm.

There is also a sausage sizzle from 3pm to 4.30pm and visitors are encouraged to try out the new

By Laura Weaser walkway.

Jumping over the barriers From front cover

Tauriko Year 12 student Mary Mitchell balances school life with three hours riding and training her horses every day.

After juggling her busy training schedule with threeday events most weekends and studying for exams, Mary is pleased to have finished her last NCEA exam this week.

“I get home around 7pm after the training in Pahoia, then dinner and study. It gets pretty draining.”

But the keen show jumper is not complaining, saying all the hard work is worthwhile when she has a win.

“The big highs all compensate for the not so good days and all the work.”

Mary has started the current summer season well, collecting four firsts and three seconds at riding events during the last two months and is training hard for events in Cambridge this weekend then Taupo.

As a young girl she was fascinated by horses and began riding lessons at seven years old, before getting her first pony two years later.

“I just enjoy it and once you get a taste of winning you just want to keep doing it,” says Mary.

“I always wanted to have a pony and I guess I haven’t grown out of it.”

Mary has set the goal of making the cut for the Junior Rider of the Year competition at the Horse of the Year national event held in Hastings in March.

Competing on two horses, however, is ironically making it more difficult to gather the points required.

“I would be up quite high, but because I have two horses, I always have to nominate one – which almost always ends up the wrong choice.

“I have lost 26 points I would have got if I had nominated the right one.”

In mid December, she is pulling out all the stops for the Taupo Christmas Classic – one of the top three North Island events, competing against a field of about 100 other show jumpers in the four-day event.

Looking out beyond this season, Mary is undecided on her career plan. She would love to turn her hobby into a job, but she is realistic enough to know this idea may just have to stay a dream.

“I would love to make this into a career, but it takes a lot of financial backing and good horses to get there.”

By Hamish Carter

PARK SMARTER DOWNTOWN TAURANGA! While doing your Christmas shopping park in Spring Street or Elizabeth Street car park buildings, then you can stay longer and not worry about time restrictions - hassle free shopping in Downtown Tauranga with plenty of variety and masses of present ideas.

A heartfelt thank you to our volunteers from the charity closest to your heart...

Remember:

Thanks for your passion, your hard work and your time. You are an invaluable part of the team.

FREE Parking in the weekend on the streets Downtown Tauranga – but watch those time restrictions they still apply on Saturdays $1 Mondays in the Parking Buildings – park for up to 3 hours for $1

www.downtowntauranga.co.nz P 07 577 9946

On International Volunteer Day, we invite everyone to be part of February’s Annual Appeal. To support New Zealand’s charity working together to beat heart disease, please help us collect at our annual street appeal on 17 February 2012.

Email: volunteer@heartfoundation.org.nz or Phone: 07 571 3013 www.heartfoundation.org.nz

1144WS

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The Weekend Sun

13

14

The Weekend Sun

Mind Body Nutrition Enjoy a Balanced Life

The Weekend Sun

15

Education is the key to the Bay To progress the Bay of Plenty, and Tauranga in particular, we need to grow the job market.

To grow the job market we need to up-skill our labour force. To up-skill our labour force, we need education.

In the Bay of Plenty, centered on Tauranga, a unique partnership is proposed between Te

Whare Wananga O Awanuiarangi (Whakatane) Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and the University of Waikato to offer world class diplomas, degrees and research –autonomous institutions working together to make a distinctive contribution to the needs of our region. Discussions are being made with Waiariki Institute of technology (Rotorua) which would make it a full bay of plenty initiative.

In my opinion, this could be the most significant economic development proposal in the last 50 years that could transform Tauranga and the region.

Education is a clean industry; it generates community wealth, it produces jobs, it raises intellectual standards and gives our young adults access to an integrated range of tertiary education aligned to our city and regional needs.

Great outcome following Mangrove removal Following the removal of mangroves from the harbour margin at the end of Prestidge Road area at Aongatete, large numbers of godwits have returned to this area and are feeding there for the first time in a number of years.

This is great justification for the mangrove clearance undertaken by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

The removal of mangroves from more than 90 hectares on the margins of the Tauranga Harbour has been controversial, but has been widely supported by the communities that live adjacent to the

harbour. The aim of the exercise was to restore the coastal environment back to the sand flat and salt marsh environment that existed before sedimentation and proliferation of mangroves changed the nature of the harbour margins.

Those that resisted the clearance maintained mangroves are an indigenous species and their

existence marks a changing ecology and they have value as a habitat for birds and shellfish.

Those that supported the removal, tell of lost birdlife and nesting habitats, loss of access and amenity value and loss of the valued sandy beaches which used to surround the harbour edge.

Read these columns in full and make comments on the Bay of Plenty’s leading news website www.sunlive.co.nz Join free for daily news updates in the BOP.

Special offer! off all kitchens this December Christmas comes off brassy Tauranga Brass is presenting its annual Christmas concert on December 3.

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The Christmas Concert features Christmas carols and hymns. Keith Bowen is on the organ and band president Peter Cranson on the cornet, accompanied by soloist Pauline Alexander on piano.

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The Weekend Sun

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The Weekend Sun

Doing the election dance From a pre-election survey, 47 per cent of the country believes the Global Financial Crisis is going to hit New Zealand sooner than later, but you would be hard pressed to remember any politician talking about how they would handle the GFC for New Zealand.

That is strange because, John Key in his interview with the BBC after the election placed dealing with our debt as his first major task and his focus for New Zealand riding the imminent GFC fallout.

What was all the rubbish about during the election build up? The Greens appealed to the young vote with idealism, knowing they will never be asked to form a government.

They admitted this, but the young vote still

went their way. A friend is a staunch Labour supporter, voted for the Labour ticket, but couldn’t vote for the electorate seat. Her husband was a traitor and voted National because of the global situation.

Another commentator on the election described this year as a mess of emotional sound bites.

There was no music or direction and the lyrics were recycled old ballads.

With Brian Anderson

Post-election Greens An enormous amount of hard work goes into an election and I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the candidates who stood in Tauranga and Bay of Plenty.

By doing so, they maintain the democratic process and ensure a thorough airing of policies.

Also, let us acknowledge the many volunteers who contributed massive amounts of time to the detail – organisation, leaflets, billboards, door knocking,

meetings, transportation and more.

No matter the party affiliation, these people stepped up to ensure their vision is part of the mix.

The Greens are excited about the increase in our party vote and to be fielding a group of talented and dedicated people to Wellington. The Green vision is to build a sustainable economy on the back of a healthy environment.

That flock of MPs will be working hard to ensure Aotearoa delivers a resilient nesting ground to our mokopuna. Kia kaha a nga ra.

Stop procrastinating Tauranga What will make the biggest difference for economic growth in the Bay? A university will. Youth unemployment is a huge issue for us locally and the answer is education.

Young adults can’t have aspiration and be ambitious if they are not well educated and the Bay has a huge opportunity to help, by establishing a ‘bricks and mortar’ university right here in downtown Tauranga.

You might ask why a university,

but I can assure you this is a most environmentally friendly industry, that will employ a lot of highly skilled intellectuals (adding wealth to the community) and at the same time provide opportunity and aspiration for our youth.

To build a brick and mortar

university will cost about $60m for the infrastructure and then there will be the ongoing annual operating costs.

Don’t expect, in these uncertain economic times, for central government to front these costs, but the good news is that we do have the capacity right here in the Bay to supply this funding.

My assumptions include the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, through its $200m Infrastructure Fund providing $30m; and Tauranga City providing the land, say $10m to $12m.

Read these columns in full and make comments on the Bay of Plenty’s leading news website www.sunlive.co.nz Join free for daily news updates in the BOP.

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18

The Weekend Sun

Float festivities for Katikati Santa Claus’s supporters are preparing for another busy Christmas Parade in Katikati next weekend, following the success in reviving the event’s flagging fortunes in recent years.

“You never really know how many going to take part because most of them don’t tell us in advance, but we are pretty optimistic after last year’s success with the community concert,� says David.

Katch Katikati has thrown its support behind the event by organising a concert at Moore Park to follow on from the parade.

Manager Jacqui Knight says they had improved on last year’s concert format by cutting back the concert’s length to two hours so it was not too long for families. “It was jut a bit too long last year,

Katikati Lions Club parade coordinator and Santa’s helper David Eddy is confident of another great event on December 10, expecting similar float numbers to the 35 that took part last year.

so we have learnt from that.�

Jacqui says the free concert from 4-6pm includes performances by a range of local groups, with MC local identity Mabel Wharekawa-Burt.

It will be followed by a skateboarding demonstration at the neighbouring skate bowl.

Jacqui says she hopes the concert attracts similar numbers to the 2500 that attended last year.

The Christmas Parade starts at 3pm from outside the Big Avocado near the corner of Earl Drive

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Katikati Lions Club members David Eddy, Mike Crane, Fred Crabbe and Lyndsay Coles have been sprucing up the club’s reindeer and sleigh float with a fresh paint job ahead of next weekend’s annual Christmas parade. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

and Main Street, follows the main road through downtown Katikati, turning right by the Talisman Cafe, then following along to Moore Park.

David Eddy is keen to hear from those entering a float, to help the Lions club plan for the day. Phone 07 549 0169.

By Hamish Carter

Battle heats up for top band spot The competition to be the lead band on the Beach Stage this New Year’s Eve is heating up, but there is still time to be in the running.

Tauranga City Council is running a competition to find two secondary school bands to entertain the thousands of people expected to turn out at Mount Maunganui on December 31.

The 2011 Battle of the Bands competition is open to any band with members under the age of 19 years and TCC event and delivery manager Penny Mitropoulos says there has been a lot of interest from secondary school bands. “It’s going really well. We have had a lot of interest from people over 19, but we really want the under-18 year age group.�

Penny welcomes more entries, espe-

cially from Intermediate-aged bands, to have the chance to perform as the opening act for the main band on New Year’s.

Both bands will receive a styling session at Bayfair where each member can create an individual look for the night.

The battle of the bands winner also receives a $1000 Bayfair gift card.

To enter the competition, bands need to post their music video clips to YouTube, fill in the entry form and email it with the YouTube link to battleofthebands@tauranga.govt.nz or enter through www.morefm.co.nz choose ‘Tauranga’ and click on ‘events’.

Bands can also enter without a YouTube clip, but need to contact the council to do so.

Entries close on December 5.

By Phillipa Yalden

19

The Weekend Sun

Books for Christmas stockings I have titled my column ‘Captivating Children’ to emphasise the nature of my columns. They are columns designed to entice children to learn.

Parents can do this by having resources or creating things with their children that they want to do and so become fully engaged in the activity. For the child, this is having fun, while at the same time developing a thirst for learning.

Love to read

How often do we buy books for Christmas and find they sit on the child’s chest of drawers, collecting dust. Reading to young children is the foundation for literacy and the single most important thing you can do to raise a reader. It develops a respect for books and a love of reading. It develops the child’s imagination and attention span.

It helps to broaden the child’s vocabulary because reading to children exposes them to a wide variety of words. Young children become familiar with the parts of a book and how it works. Reading books to young children helps them make sense of the world and their place in it and reading together with a child is a great way of building a close relationship.

To help you find books for your child’s Christmas stocking that will be read and read, here are some ideas:

For 2-5 year olds:

• Rascal the Dragon stories by Paul Jennings • Pamela Allen picture books • ‘The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear’ by Don and Audrey Wood • ‘Class Two at the Zoo’ and ‘Class Three All At Sea’ both by Julia Jarman • ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ by Maurice Sendak • ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle • Anthony Brown’s picture books e.g. ‘My Dad’ • Lynley Dodd’s Hairy MacLary books • Dr Seuss books • ‘The Little Yellow Digger’ by Betty Gilderdale • Joy Cowley books, including the Mrs Wishy Washy series

For older readers:

• The Charlie and Lola Books by Lauren Child e.g.

‘I Will Not Ever Eat a Tomato’ • ‘Don’t Slam the Door’ by Dori Chaconas • ‘The Great Nursery Rhyme Disaster’ by David Conway • ‘That Rabbit Belongs To Emily Brown’ by Cressida

These are just a few ideas. Every child has their own favourite books and these are the most important of all. In general, look for quality illustrations and

text, which often contains great rhyme, rhythm and repetition. Don’t forget the old favourite nursery rhymes, fairy stories, myths and legends (these are just as popular and valuable as ever), plus non-fiction (for all those children mad on dinosaurs, trucks, diggers, insects, etc).

Illustrations

Even babies a few months old will enjoy sharing books with very simple illustrations, with or without text, with parents and whanau. There is a great selection of board books suitable for the very young. Illustrations and text should reflect things that babies and toddlers are familiar with in their everyday lives.

I do hope you found this article helpful. Happy Christmas shopping.

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Hello everyone. This is my first column for The Weekend Sun.

20

The Weekend Sun

New store to harness full potential Avalon Incorporated is again expanding to welcome the opening of its new store – Gifts & More.

Avalon is a development centre where people with disability can reach their potential both in the workforce and through personal development. Through training and employment at the centre, trainees learn more about themselves, the necessary skills to work and the chance to achieve.

The centre was established 30 years ago at Sulphur Point, where trainees learned to make wooden kiwifruit boxes. Avalon is now based at Gil Lane in Te Puna – a site which has enabled trainees to work in more areas, including horticulture, textile, art and craft, hospitality and woodwork.

Chief executive James Middleton says trainees enjoy the stress-free environment which creates a holistic feeling for the trainees.

“On this site, we work with trainees to ensure they are developing educational, work skills and gain a sense of self fulfilment and confidence.”

The new store will sell products and items made by the trainees on-site, including art, sewing, crafts, wood work, plants and preserves, as well as products from companies having an association with Avalon.

“At Avalon, we need to make a positive impact on people’s lives,” says James.

“We bring together the community, business and local council and these three work together to create a more inclusive environment.

“Our new store is just another way to share the work we are doing and to involve the community in our work.”

Gifts & More opens from December 5 until December 21 from 10am to 3pm.

The shop reopens on January 17, open 10am to 3pm weekdays.

By Laura Weaser

Tracy Tall, Rodney Landrebe and David MacKenzie in the garden with Avalon chief executive James Middleton and some of the plants available for sale at the new shop. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

21

The Weekend Sun

Capture a family moment Searching for a Christmas gift for someone special is not always easy.

If you are looking for a lasting gift, something the whole family can enjoy and experience together, how about a Yours Truly Portrait Gift Box. “As a photographer I get to meet lots of different people, when a large family group come to the studio, I enjoy the challenge to capture the different generations from newborn babies to great grandparents,” says Yours Truly owner Guy Hastings.

Yours Truly owner Guy Hastings. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

“I like to get them chatting amongst themselves so that ultimately they forget about the biggest of families, including the pet dog and yet inticamera. mate to capture precious images of newborn babies “That’s when I get that perfect portrait – the one and gorgeous makeovers for mums and daughters. they will treasure forever and pass down the generaPut something extra special under the tree this tions in years to come.”

Christmas. Yours Truly has created a “portrait in a Established in 2006, Yours Truly is Tauranga’s inter- box”, a gorgeous gift wrapped box. Inside there is active portrait experience, where laughter and fun a voucher for a studio portrait, tips for making the create a unique blend of relaxed, informal portraits most out of your professional portrait shoot and a with personality. photograph frame for your favourite image from your The purpose built studio is large enough to fit the portrait session.

Early Christmas gift for raffle winners Tony Lynch of Te Puke is going on an eight day P&O Pacific Island Cruise in January 2012.

He is the winner of the Tauranga Coastguard fund raising raffle sold in September and October.

The prizes were drawn at the Tauranga police station. Second prize winner is Janet Du Fall of Rotorua, who is soon jetting away

for a weekend in Sydney and Rebecca Eng of Tauranga is the third prize winner and is spending a night at Sky City in Auckland.

Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard operations manager Simon Barker says: “we wish all the prize winners happy travels and would like to thank those who bought a ticket for their support”.

“Thanks must go to Brigett Turner of NZ Travel Brokers who put the prize packages together for us.”

If you would like to contact Brigett to organise your next overseas adventure, email brigett@ nztravelbrokers.co.nz

22

The Weekend Sun

Whether you are male, female, seven or 70, it is always nice to get dressed up for Christmas.

A get together at work or with friends and family gives you the opportunity to don your party clothes and look your best. At Bayfair, you can complete your look from head to toe by visiting the fabulous retailers for him, her and the littlies.

With all of the tasks associated with planning for Christmas, it can be easy to put choosing the new outfit to the bottom of the list. It doesn’t have to be that way, however, says Bayfair Shopping Centre marketing manager Nina Rivett.

“At Bayfair, grocery shopping can be

combined with a trip to the hairdressers and selecting the perfect dress complements a manicure perfectly.”

Whatever you are planning for your festive celebrations, why not visit the ‘one-stop shop’ for fashion at Bayfair.

Visit www.bayfair.co.nz or look out for a copy of Seasonal Shopping Hints in this week’s newspaper for fashion store listings.

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Balancing family expectations with household budgets and the spirit of Christmas is always a juggle – and this has never been more important than in today’s economic climate.

Given the tight financial constraints many families are facing and the increasing pressures for the perfect present, The Weekend Sun this week starts looking at Christmas gift buying etiquette and tips.

Special surprise

Clever Kids toy shop owner Judy Shaw has seen it all when it comes to buying presents – including a few demanding children’s hissy fits – and gives her advice on what seems to work best.

Judy says while more parents are choosing to let their children select their own presents, she thinks gifts should be chosen to suit the children’s interests.

As a Christmas traditionalist, she also believes there should always be an element of surprise.

“Surprises are wonderful and create childhood memories that last a lifetime.”

Given the current economic climate, some families are trying to ensure they get value for their money spent says Judy.

“Often the price of a product may be good, but will the child still want to play with it next week?

“Conversely, something that may be a little dearer that the children are going to come back to again and again offers better play value and therefore is better value for money in the long run.”

Creative play

In her experience, Judy says the best presents are often activity focused such as puzzles, construction or craft or interactive such as games or toys that engage the children in creative play like doll’s houses and castles.

“You will see the children repeatedly going back to these everyday and using their imagination, which is so important for a child’s development.”

By Hamish Carter

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The Weekend Sun

A Kiwi Christmas story Forget about snow and mistletoe, Katikati children’s author Gaye Hemsley is bringing the New Zealand festive experience to life with her book ‘Nine Days to Christmas’.

Originally written four years ago as a show for her dance students, Gaye says the story’s focus on preparing for a Kiwi Christmas – complete with a barbecue dinner – has been a hit with young and old readers.

“They like how they can relate to the summer Christmas, compared to most of the books that are covered in snow.”

Gaye has taught dancing her whole life and first began writing short poems which she turned into dance routines.

She has since gone on to write 10 children’s books.

She is among local authors promoting their books at the Paper Plus Bethlehem on Sunday, December 18. For more information visit www.christinaproductions.co.nz

Patron saint of children in town

Saint Nicolaas, the patron saint of children, is making a special yearly visit to Tauranga on Saturday, December 3 for the ninth time.

The Saint arrives by boat at the Edgewater Fan on The Strand and is welcomed by children from St Mary’s School wearing Dutch costumes.

His arrival is part of Tauranga’s Dutch community’s traditional St.

Nicolaas feast, which starts at 12pm. It includes Dutch music and delicacies to eat, like oliebollen and kroketten.

There is a bouncy castle and Kokomo the balloon artist is performing and there is also entertainment by children from St Mary’s School.

Everyone, especially children and their parents, are welcome to join this celebration.

By Hamish Carter

Katikati children’s author Gaye Hemsley puts a New Zealand summer spin on celebrating Christmas in her book ‘Nine Days to Christmas’.

Christmas presents that tell real-life stories Every product from Trade Aid has a story about the positive impact on the lives of the people who made them.

“Every purchase supports a family, a collective or a whole community in their goal to work their way out of poverty, so why not include a bit of handmade change into your Christmas this year,” Christmas says Melanie. decoration.

“A silk shawl, a pair of silver earrings, a bar of dark chocolate, a cup of finest espresso or beautiful hand crafted Christmas decorations – it doesn’t take much to fair trade your world, but the impact of that purchase is felt across the world,” says Melanie Burke from Trade Aid Tauranga.

These funky Christmas tree decorations not only add a touch class and distinction to a tree, they also hold a story of joy for the women who make them.

Made from jute – an environmentally friendly natural fibre known as the ‘golden fibre’ of Bangladesh – they are perfect for celebrating a good Christmas this year.

Trade Aid has many inspirational stories to tell about the way in which the trading model has helped transform the lives of communities around the world.

The model is simple; they purchase for a fair price, craft and food products from 80 trading partners and focus on facilitating positive change through long-term partnerships and sustainable trading relationships.

Great Gifts For All

From Christmas scented candles to gorgeous gifts, you’ll be surprised by what we have in store.

OPEN THIS SUNDAY 10am - 3pm Goddards Shopping Centre Devonport Road Tauranga Phone 579 4220 Flicker Factory Shop Now Open Unit 22, 23 Tukorako Drive, Mt Maunganui

Shop online at www.flickercandles.co.nz

24

The Weekend Sun

Official Opening

te puke heritage walkway

? www.westernbay.govt.nz

custOmer service

25

The Weekend Sun

in Summer

A flower for all seasons

By Hamish Carter

From flame red to mauve, purple to lilac – gardening enthusiasts all agree there is more than one shade of fuchsia.

This weekend, fuchsia enthusiasts and everyday gardeners rub shoulders as they share tips on getting the best flowers, compete for prizes and discover new varieties.

Tauranga Fuchsia Club president Pat Mitchell – like many club members – is passionate about the plant variety and encourages others to discover their special quality.

“They are easy to grow – and by giving them a good pruning twice a year, you can have flowers almost all year round.”

Pat, who had grown fuchsias before shifting to Tauranga nine years ago, fell for them when she joined Tauranga’s “friendly” fuchsia club. She estimates she has more than 30 varieties today, attracted by the flowers that “look like dancing ballerinas”.

The Tauranga Fuchsia Competition and Show is at Tauranga Arts and Craft Centre on Elizabeth St West on Saturday 11am-4pm and Sunday 9.30-3.30pm. For more details phone 07 575 4591.

Tauranga Fuchsia Club president Pat Mitchell is encouraging other gardeners to get the fuchsia bug at this weekend’s annual club show.

Photo by Bruce Barnard.

Enjoying a festive garden this season Most of us are now focusing on getting the garden ready for Christmas.

It may well be in the kitchen garden, making sure we get the produce in time for our Christmas meals. I am certainly worried that I will have to dig all my one row of potatoes to get a good feed for Christmas dinner as they have been slow growing this year and I will not be planting a late crop as the problems with the Potato and Tomato Psyllid are much worse in the later crops.

I will certainly have a good feed of most

other vegetables for the festive season. I have an early cropping plum that is so full of fruit that I have had to thin the fruit out to improve the quality of the fruit and take some of the weight off the tree.

The other side to the garden is making it look tidy and colourful, ready for all those visitors around the Christmas period.

The best thing for instant effect is to buy some potted colour which is in good supply at the moment. A quick hoe around early December should clean things up and still be look- ing good to the end of the month.

Don’t forget indoors, a must for Christ-

mas is the traditional Poinsettia plant.

Poinsettias are easy to keep as long as they are out of draughts and are kept just moist.

Be careful not to over water. If your plant looks like it needs water, but is actually quite wet it will be sulking, just let it dry and keep it on the dry side until it picks up again.

After Christmas and your plant has dropped its bright red bracts, you can plant them out in the garden in a sheltered spot.

Christmas is the time to sit back and relax and enjoy the results of your hard work during the year. There is nothing more pleasing than flowers and vegetables grown by your own hands.

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The Weekend Sun

Congratulations Tauranga franchises Once again Tauranga businesses performed well in the Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards celebrated in Auckland earlier this month.

Our star local performers were: Exceed Maintenance – Home Services Best Franchise System winner; Exceed Maintenance – Home Services Best Franchisee winner; Grout Pro – Franchise Export Award winner;

Paramount Services – Qualified Franchisee – Business services.

The highly contested supreme Franchise System of the Year award went to Paper Plus NZ Limited and the supreme Franchisee of the Year award went to Columbus Coffee Ashburton.

The guest of honour Minister of Commerce Simon Power commented on the substantial contribution to the economy that is made by the franchising sector.

“In entering the Westpac New Zealand Franchise awards each entrant

“Selling quality business is what I do best, so well in fact that I am seriously short of good quality businesses to offer our long list of pre qualified purchasers.”

regularly seen around the region and whose coffee is a joy.

Richard Karam, the Franchisor based in Auckland, is presenting at the meeting, along with local operators Mike Baxter and Francis Fitzgerald.

This will be an interesting event which will demonstrate the tactics used to promote the rapid growth of the Coffee Guy system throughout New Zealand.

To attend the meeting please contact Larissa at Harris Tate, phone 07 578 0059 or email larissa@harristate.co.nz This article was written

by David Foster of Harris Tate Solicitors and Regional Coordinator of the Franchise Association of New Zealand.

David Foster - Director of Harris Tate Solicitors.

Underinsurance: is it really a problem?

Specialising in

For your free free 24 24 page page guide “Managing “Managing the the sale of your business” business” call or email email me me today. today.

opens up their business to the scrutiny of the evaluators and judges,” says Franchise Association of New Zealand chairman David Foster.

“Through this process those entrants learn more about their business, its strengths and its weaknesses, to enable them to chart the directions for their business to follow for ongoing success.”

The next meeting of the Tauranga Branch of the Franchise Association of New Zealand is on December 7.

The system that attendees will learn about at this meeting will be the well known ‘Coffee Guy’ whose vans are

. Childcare . Horticulture . Franchise Businesses and general business sales

Since my last article I have had a few people ask me this question. In short, it creates a major problem should something go wrong.

Firstly let’s look at some figures*: If we look at the penetration of insurance to GDP (Gross Domestic Product) it makes interesting reading – Australia 4.74 per cent; NZ 0.83 per cent.

Now let’s look at the average insurance spend per capita: Australia $2079 USD; UK $3500 USD; USA $4800 USD; NZ $251 USD. These figures sure give a convincing argument that we are woefully underinsured in New Zealand.

So why are we so far behind? I believe there are two main reasons: Given the high levels of benefits available, many New Zealanders simply choose to have minimal insurance (or none at all) and if something was to go wrong, run the gauntlet of the benefit system. There is also a lack of advisers in the insurance industry helping people to assess and cover their risks. The Kiwi ‘she’ll be right’ attitude. This does link with the first point that someone else will look after me if something goes wrong.

The problem with these reasons is the pressure is coming on government finances around the world and many of these benefits and support features that so many have relied upon to be there may well not be there in a time of need. For example, ACC has essen-

tially been broke for many years and with pending privatisation a possibility, you can be assured it will be harder to obtain the full benefits.

For many people, it is a social issue of people having to start to take ‘control’ of their own future and not relying completely on the government to do so for them. KiwiSaver is another example of getting people to save for their own retirement. It is very clear that NZ Super will slowly diminish during the years ahead.

So make sure you are working with a reputable insurance advisory practice that can help you to maintain ‘control’ of your financial life even if a disaster may strike. * The statistics were supplied by Konnect.

Philip Holland is the managing director for the Financial Independence group, Tauranga’s leading specialist insurance and mortgage advisers. A Disclosure Statement is available free of charge on request. The opinions stated in this article are those of the writer and should not be taken as specific advice.

27

The Weekend Sun

Employee gives Port of Tauranga the nod The new wave in IT service Port of Tauranga CEO Mark Cairns and Lieutenant Commander Andrew Wilson at the port.

Photo by Tracy Hardy.

The Port of Tauranga Ltd has won the Employer of the Year title by the Bay of Plenty Regional Employer Support Committee, after being nominated by one of its employees.

The committee is the regional support organisation for the territorial forces employer support council. Lieutenant Commander Andrew Wilson of the Royal

New Zealand Navy Volunteer Reserve nominated his employer, The Port of Tauranga Ltd, for the award.

Andrew is a member of the Tauranga Unit of HMNZS NGAPONA and has served on a number of operations and exercises overseas during the last three years, including six months in Sudan as a Military Observer with the United Nations. Officer in Charge of HMNZS NGAPONA Tauranga Unit, Lieutenant Commander Gerard McGrath

says the ‘Employer of the Year’ award was established to recognise the contribution employers make by allowing staff to train and serve as members of the reserve forces of the New Zealand Defence Force.

Representatives of the Port of Tauranga Ltd will be at the national final of the Territorial Force Employer of the Year function with other regional winners in Wellington in early 2012 when a national winner will be named.

The importance of search engines As website consultants, we are often asked about how Google works.

Firstly, let’s look at the influence of Google. Surveys show 80-90 per cent of people discover websites through a search engine and 65 per cent of those people will be using Google.

Several other major search engines also use the Google search engine, so if you rate highly on Google, you will also rank highly on those search engines.

No wonder there is a whole industry dedicated to analysing how Google’s complex formula works, so they can then manage their clients’ websites and move them up the rankings on Google.

Research tells us the top ten listings

receive nearly 80 per cent more traffic than those positioned on the subsequent page and we already know the number of visitors to your website is one of the two key determinants of website success; so you want that traffic coming your way.

Where do you start in your quest for Google success? Irrespective of which expert report I read, all of them reiterate that ‘content is king’. Which means you should make sure your content is topical, rich with keywords and updated regularly. Also think about the words that are “hidden” that the search engines use to index the website. These are called meta tags and it’s important you are informed on how they work.

With quality content on your website, it’s more likely other people will link to

WEBSITE with Michelle Whitmore of Zeald.com

your website too and we know from observation that inbound links are gold in the world of Google.

Obviously there are other variables at work, but those mentioned here are a good starting point for the amateur or expert search engine optimiser.

28

The Weekend Sun

The Weekend Sun

$750

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LL FR

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The Weekend Sun

A balance of medals for gymnast Tauranga gymnast Isabella Brett attributes hard work to her recent success at the NZ Gymsports Artistic Gymnastic Championships.

The 10-year-old Tauranga resident won five medals earlier this month; Gold for beam, Silver for bars, floor and all around (AA) and Bronze for team. She is also now the Step 5 National Champion for Balance Beam.

Isabella was also the only Step 5 gymnast invited to perform in the closing ceremonies. Qualifying for the national

Conditions apply, ask in store for details

event is a culmination of a year of dedicated training and competitions, where gymnasts are required to meet threshold apparatus and all around scores to prove they have what it takes to compete at the most prestigious national event of the year.

This year was Isabella’s first time competing at this level and she is very happy with her results. She attributes her success to hard work and excellent training from her coaches, Fangxiao Dong (a former Olympian and world champion) and husband Terry Lee.

Kiwi icon to support life savers New Zealanders are being encouraged to kick off highheels, smart work shoes and strappy sandals and throw on a pair of jandals to support Surf Life Saving’s National Jandal Day on Friday, December 2.

24

Surf Life Saving’s national appeal day, which is proudly supported

by State, will see thousands of surf lifeguards across the country standing on street corners, shaking buckets and collecting much needed donations to help lifeguards to save more lives on New Zealand’s beaches this summer.

SLSNZ general manager of programmes and services Brett

Tauranga Park Ph 0800 2 BE APE (23 273)

Ph 07 929 8724

(Tect-All Terrain Park) 18 Whataroa Rd, Upper Pyes Pa Rd (SH 36), Tauranga tauranga@adrenalin-forest.co.nz Check out Adrenalin Forest in our Christchurch and Wellington locations

Sullivan says for Kiwis “beaches are our favourite playground”, yet New Zealand has almost double the drowning rate of Australia.

“Drowning is the third highest cause of unintentional death in New Zealand,” says Brett.

“The service that Surf Life Saving provides touches thousands of ordinary Kiwis every year. As a charity, we rely on the big hearted support of the public.”

Each summer more than 3800 dedicated volunteer lifeguards give up their time to protect New Zealanders. Last season, surf lifeguards prevented more than 1300 people from drowning at beaches.

Anyone can be part of National Jandal Day 2011, whether a school,

Wear your jandals today to show support for the New Zealand Surf Life Savers. business or community group. To register today visit www.nationaljandalday.co.nz

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The Weekend Sun

One stop shop for barbecue season Farmers Sustainable Meats is a successful local business owned by farmers who specialise in only selling sustainable free-range meats prepared the old fashioned way.

Manager Leanne Fowler with some of the gourmet range of sausages, including Cajun pork and beef and smoked mushrooms.

Photo by Tracy Hardy.

This includes carcass aging of beef to develop its full flavour and tenderness. By hand making all their small goods with traditional recipes, they can ensure their sausages are gluten, nitrate and MSG free. Bacon and ham is barrel cured and then manuka honey smoked.

With summer here and the holidays fast approaching, FSM can proudly claim to be a one-stop barbecue shop for all your meat and condiment needs. With a full range of meats and poultry, not only can you buy whole or portioned prime aged fillets and steak cuts, but their small goods range has also increased.

This now includes burgers which are incredibly packed full with 98 per cent of aged premium mince, to create great tasting real meaty burgers. Barbecue meat packs are also available and these can be customised to your requirements with one quick phone call or visit.

Along with smoked chicken and seafood, cheeses, eggs and salamis, now in-store are other ranges (all gluten-free) to compliment a summer barbecue. This includes, marinades, rubs, seasoning and sauces, which makes it easy to plan and create a tasty meal all in one stop. If Christmas is your focus, check out the great gift packs and go into the draw to win a free barbecue.

If you’re heading for the beach, call in to the new Papamoa Shop at Fashion Island or the factory shop at Te Puna.

Christmas cheer with the Christmas beer Stella Artois – the beer originally crafted for Christmas – has this year’s festivities all wrapped up, with a special edition range to help you have a stellar Christmas.

The brightly coloured packs leave no need for wrapping paper either.

Stella Artois has it covered with red boxes, covered in white stars – complete with a readyto-sign gift card on top. The 12 packs give off a distinctly festive feel that make them a perfect gift for that ‘hard-to-buy-for’ person in your life.

If eggnog isn’t your style, there’s no better beverage for Christmas

time than Stella Artois. Taking its name from the Christmas star (‘stella’ is ‘star’ in Latin) and Master Brewer Sebastian Artois, Stella Artois was originally brewed for the holiday season in its home of Leuven, Belgium.

It proved so popular, the brewery began offering it year round and it is now enjoyed by those who appreciate the finest quality and craftsmanship through all of the seasons.

Look out for the special edition 12 bottle Christmas pack; a brand new, limited-edition 750ml bottle available for sale for the first time this year; and a new 24 bottle case – all designed to help capture the Christmas spirit.

Keep gift giving simple this year.

Come & enjoy the Christmas Tree in Red Square

OPEN 7 DAYS

From 9am until late Red Square, Tauranga Ph / Fax: 07 578 4700 www.cafebravo.co.nz

The 750ml or 12 pack of Stella Artois is a perfect Christmas gift for friends, bosses, co-workers or family. They’re just the right fit for anyone 18 or older who you need a little Christmas treat for.

Look out for the special edition Stella Artois Christmas range, available now from supermarkets or liquor stores near you. You must be over 18 to purchase.

The Weekend Sun has a 750ml bottle and a 12 pack of Stella Artois to give away to the lucky readers who can tell us what Stella means in Latin.

Enter online at www.sunlive.co.nz under the Competitions section.

Entries must be received by December 6.

From

NZ Farms

32

The Weekend Sun

Restocking Foodbank’s shelves

Tauranga Community Foodbank Trust chairman Mike Baker welcomes a $6000 donation from Port of Tauranga CEO Mark Cairns to provide hundreds of family food parcels.

Photo by Cody Stevens.

Tauranga Community Foodbank’s larder is being replenished ahead of the high pre-Christmas demand thanks to a $6000 donation from Port of Tauranga.

Foodbank trust chairman Mike Baker says demand always rises significantly in December as families juggle buying gifts with planning for Christmas celebrations, on top of everyday expenses.

“The appeal at this time of year is very important and donations like what the Port of Tauranga has given us just make a huge, huge difference.”

Port of Tauranga CEO Mark Cairns says given the extent of need in the community, the management team decided in lieu of giving customer’s gifts, to donate $6000 to the foodbank and $4000 to the Child Cancer Foundation.

“We got really good feedback from our customers

when we did it last year and I’m sure it will be the same this year,” says Mark.

Mike says the donation helped restock the shelves for now, but urges others to support the foodbank appeal to help them support families during the coming busy months.

“It’s only through the generosity of the community that we are able to support the vulnerable.”

Mike says the $6000 donation was about two thirds of the $8000-$10,000 the organisation spends most months to buy items that are rarely donated like meat, Weet Bix, rice, toilet paper and soap. He says the $6000 covers the average $25 cost spent on a food parcel (after donated goods) for 240 families.

“The church and community groups and supermarkets do a fantastic job all year round, but to have a donation like this, it sets us up. It replenishes the shelves and gives us a good resource.” By Hamish Carter

Donations needed for under the Christmas tree Put your money where your mouth is this Christmas and help the Salvation Army Tauranga bring Christmas cheer to families that can’t afford food luxuries this season.

A collective of local business owners in the Cambridge Heights Shopping Centre understands this situation and have come together to give their time, products and services to raise support for local Tauranga families in need this Christmas.

In conjunction with The Salvation Army in Tauranga, the Cambridge Heights Shopping Centre located at 158 Cambridge Road in Bethlehem is holding a fun family event on Sunday, December

4 from 11am to 4pm.

While entry into the event is free, there are many opportunities for local Tauranga residents to contribute donations of non-perishable food items such as packets of biscuits, long life milk, pasta and rice, canned goods as well as new toys, cash donations and other non-perishables to the Salvation Army’s annual Christmas drive.

The event is community focused, with the parking being cordoned off to make room for a large bouncy castle, face painting, a sausage sizzle, music, raffle draws and a special visit from Santa. Each store in the Cambridge Heights Shopping Centre is also available as a drop off point for donations to be made prior to the event. The event itself is the final day for collection of donation items.

Receive 10 FREE Traditional Rolls when you buy one of our delicious NEW Christmas Cakes or 2 Christmas Muffins.

And share the joy with the ones you love.

NZPA03

Traditional Rolls refers to any mix of white, wholemeal, country grain or lekkerbrot.

Limit of one per person, per day. Offer valid until 13/12/2011. Must present this voucher. Subject to availability.

The Weekend Sun

33

Booking in for the silly season NOW OPEN AT BAYFAIR MALL NOW FULLY LICENSED

Open 7 days for Breakfast, Lunch or just Coffee & Cake!

GOOD FOOD

Smoked Salmon Crespelle Ingredients 1/2 cup of flour 2 eggs, beaten 1 to 1 1/2 cups of milk 250g packet of sliced smoked salmon 100g sour cream Salt and pepper Chives or chopped dill (optional) Method Place the flour in a bowl and make a batter by forming a well in the middle and adding the beaten

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It’s that time of the year again; the phone has been busy with people ringing and booking their end of year functions.

The two questions I get asked as a chef are linked.

The first is from your partner –what time will you be home? The next is from a potential customer usually on the phone – do we need to book?

Both questions drive me nuts as we can’t provide staff, order food, prepare food and deliver top class cuisine if we don’t know you’re coming. And I can’t tell what time I will be home at night as I have no idea if or when people are coming in – so it’s another reason not to take up such a profession.

It may look all fantastic on master chef, but on my gravestone epitaph will be the words “I didn't book”.

So let’s assume that because I am in the hospitality industry I’m there to provide a service at short or no notice, fresh, fast, tasty and delivered with a smile and that’s just the way it is.

So have a thought after you have organised with

GREAT SERVICE

Bayfair Mall Not available with VIP or other offers, excludes alcohol.

Expires 31/12/11. your friends about meeting up for meal, don’t even ask yourself do we need to book, show the same respect you would show your doctor or other professional and let them know your intention of coming in for a meal.

That way you will earn respect from the staff and of course the chef after all your meal is in his hands. If you are lucky enough to have a function booking at No 1 The Strand, you might encounter these rolled smoked salmon crespelles as part of our famous rolling abundance. eggs and milk – add enough milk to form a thin batter, whisk well and allow to stand. Cook the pancakes as thin as you can by swirling the mix around the pan, make as many as you can with the mix. After allowing the pancakes to cool, lay out on a clean bench and spread with a layer of sour cream then lay smoked salmon over the sour cream. Sprinkle a little chopped dill or chives over if desired. Roll up the pancakes as firmly as you can, then wrap the whole roll in tin foil and twist the ends to form a tight roll.

Chill well for about 4 hours before serving then unroll and slice – like you would sushi. A summery starter or great party food that looks good and is quickly devoured. Makes 4 crespelle

BUY ONE BREAKFAST, GET ONE HALF PRICE!

Bayfair Mall Not available with VIP or other offers, higher priced item charged. Expires 31/12/11.

FREE GLASS OF WINE WITH ANY LIGHT MEAL!

Bayfair Mall Not available with VIP or other offers, includes house wine only. Expires 31/12/11.

34 SunLive community highlights

Not the News of the Week: “The newly-mandated National government moved swiftly today to set in place the first partial sales of state assets. The controversial policy had a shock in store, however, when it was revealed that the first ‘asset’ would not be one of the expected power generation companies.

Prime Minister Key stunned the markets with the announcement that 49 per cent of government services would be sold to private companies. Early offers have been accepted from Virgin Airlines to operate the Air Force, and from Fullers Ferries to provide maintenance and crew for the

Navy.” Read this Not the News in full at www.sunlive.co.nz Comment of the Week: By user PeteDashwood about the election result and Brendan Horan’s desire to work with Simon Bridges for Tauranga: “I was amused that Brendan thinks Simon will work with him. It’s a bit like an ant and an elephant crossing a swing bridge and the ant saying: ‘Man, are we swinging this bridge...’ Nevertheless, I’m sure the two of them will work together to protect our interests. I was glad to see Te Ururoa Flavell get in too. He has always struck me as a voice of reason, even though I don’t always agree with his policies.”

The Weekend Sun

A selection of some local breaking stories featured this week on...

$300k playground approved

A $300,000 playground for Tauranga’s waterfront is part of a proposal approved by Tauranga City Councillors to go out for public submission.

The playground, to be built opposite Wharf Street, is part of the council’s $4.9 million plan for the waterfront, approved during this week’s Ten Year Plan deliberations.

O’Brien earns NZ citizenship

Christmas Service of Remembrance

Todd Gower Funeral Services warmly invites you to our Service of Remembrance

To be lead by

Marie Gilpin and Martin elliott olive live Tree Cottage, 247 Joyce Road, Pyes Pa, Tauranga 2.30pm on Sunday 18th December The service will conclude with a balloon releasing ceremony. light refreshments will then be served. Please RSVP to Todd Gower Funeral Services on 578 7222 by 16 december.

Celebrating and remembering a life so special

The creator of the Rocky Horror Picture Show is to become a New Zealand citizen at a ceremony in Hamilton on December 14.

Richard O’Brien has had his application from citizenship granted despite normally being considered ‘too old’ for acceptance.

Richard, who is in his late 60s, lived in Tauranga and Hamilton before leaving for London in 1964. He was born in Britain, but spent most of his childhood here.

To celebrate his citizenship, Richard is planning a oneoff Hamilton show where a statue has been erected in his honour in the CBD. The show is a one-off concert at Hamilton’s Founders Theatre on March 17.

It will also serve as his 70th birthday party, a celebration of his citizenship and a fundraiser for Starship Foundation.

Oil can’t slip up Tinman event

The Rena oil disaster is not disrupting this weekend’s Tinman Triathlon owing to Maritime New Zealand’s declaration Bay of Plenty beaches are open.

Sport Bay of Plenty CEO Wayne Werder says this is great news for the region as they head into a busy summer season of sport.

He says the beaches are a significant recreational playground for Bay of Plenty residents and visitors alike, including triathletes.

Race organisers are continuing to communicate with Maritime New Zealand to ensure they have the most upto-date information as they get close to each event.

Phone. 07 578 7222 Email. admin@toddgower.co.nz

The playground, along with a boardwalk through to Pilot Bay, and the upgrade of Greerton Library, are plans going out for public consultation in 2012.

Tauranga City Council is also applying for resource consent to install 10 portable buildings of 18sqm to cluster around the Edgewater Fan. Priority One city centre manager Duarne Lankshear says the portable buildings are an opportunity for the tourism, hospitality and recreation industries to provide commercial activities in various areas of the waterfront.

The capital cost of the buildings will be in the $20,000-50,000 range with a forecast rental of $2000-10,000 a year, per building.

Duarne says the revenue generated from these businesses will grow as the area attracts more foot traffic, becoming a vibrant waterfront destination.

Wayne says there is a clear message the region is back to “business as normal”.

“By sanctioning the event, with the support of Triathlon NZ, the athletes who take part do so with confidence that they will take part in a fair and safe race.”

Two scrub fires in 24 hours

Hot and dry conditions are fuelling scrub fires with Tauranga fire fighters attending two call outs this week.

Just before 4pm on Wednesday a scrub fire broke out near Pengary Lane in Pyes Pa. The fire engulfed a scrub covered bank stretching up to 30m and measuring 60m high. The fire was stopped five metres from a home on Kopu Road.

Greerton Station Officer Neil Brown says fire fighters returned to the scene during the night to dampen down any hot spots to prevent the fire reigniting.

Neil says fire fighters also attended a small scrub fire in Welcome Bay around 1.30am on Thursday morning.

He says hotter temperatures and dry conditions are providing fuel for the fires.

“There is always a genuine source behind these fires.”

How do you feel about the coming Christmas season?

Ecstatic - time to deck the halls!

29%

Scared - the cost is making me cringe.

4%

Ambivalent - not a Christmas person.

50%

Flat - too soon to say.

10%

Forget Christmas, bring on the New Year!

7%

The only local daily news source you need, constantly updated, seven days a week. Join for free and get stories, photos and video sent to you as the news breaks.

www.sunlive.co.nz

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35

The Weekend Sun

Supporting a revolution “I have had it from both the perspective of someone with a smaller body and bigger bust, as well as bigger body, bigger bust,” says Kylie.

“We as women tend to blame our own bodies for the shortcomings of traditionally designed bras.

Models show the comfort and colour of the Emkay bra.

“The reality is the problem can be solved by designing the right product to suit the body, rather than trying to make the body fit the product.”

The Emkay bra range is quite differ-

ent to anything else and is designed specifically with the wearer in mind. The bras under took seven years of development before their launch onto the New Zealand market, trialling design and components.

“A bra is a specialist garment. We worked really hard in that time to ensure that when we launched, the bras had the right components.

“The hooks and eyes, underwire and elastic have all been tested and specifically designed and sourced for our bras so that they withstand the test of time and provide full support.

“There are different design attributes to match different body attributes, not just one shape made bigger and bigger.”

The bras support the breast completely up and under the breast tissue so there is no unsupported breast tissue.

This means the underwire doesn’t rub like a conventional bra and the fabric fully encases the breast tissue to draw moisture away, eliminating chafing and under the breast rashes. The bra design also eliminates strain on the shoulders, supporting the breast weight from underneath. The Emkay bra is not only supportive, but also provides wearers with vibrant colour and style options.

Kylie is at Ca Va in Mount Maunganui on December 5 from 9.30am until 5pm fitting and giving advice on the Emkay bra range.

By Laura Weaser

%

Founders Darrell Stratton and Kylie Gibbard.

Finding your inner strength It takes more courage to reveal insecurities than to hide them, more strength to relate to people than to dominate them, more ‘(wo)manhood’ to abide by thought-out principles rather than blind reflex. Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles and an immature mind.

25

If you would like to find out more about coaching, phone Mary Parker for a complimentary session 07 577 1200, email info@coachingtheattitude.co.nz or visit www.coachingtheattitude.co.nz

OFF ALL

SUMMER FASHION

Alex Karras

NO FURTHER STOCK ARRIVING SO BE IN QUICK TO AVOID D I S A P P O I N T M E N T

© Icon 7223 MAI

Some people wear strength as a weapon. But to be true strength, it needs to be something that enables us to be gentle, that enables us to be vulnerable, something that is at the core of us that allows us to admit to our needs, allows us to take as well as to give and to accept and respect the strength that is in others.

How do you see strength – as a weapon or as something that permits you to be truly you, with both your weaknesses and strengths?

2 011 / 2 012

Mardee Dress

After years of uncomfortable bras that didn’t work for her body shape, Emkay Bra co-founder Kylie Gibbard and partner Darrell Stratton realised it was time to design a bra that worked for real women.

36

The Weekend Sun

Good choices, big changes Abundant Health

This morning I have been speaking with someone I have been helping for coming up 18 months. When he rang me mid 2010 he was suffering from a great deal of stiffness and low mobility caused by Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR).

He was receiving good care from his GP, but not really doing so well. His energy and mobility were very limited. I put him on a nutritional support programme suited to his age, weight and general health and also suggested he spoke to his GP about getting high dose vitamin D on prescription. There is a great deal of research linking autoimmune diseases with low levels of this critical vitamin.

He noticed the difference within a few months.

From finding it difficult to get up out of a chair, he is now doing exercise classes for over an hour and is enjoying remarkably better health. He is now 18 months older, but in much better health and now has an obvious spring to his step. To me, his situation makes several really important points and I consider each of these instrumental in regaining your health.

The first and most important factor aspect of his improvements came from his decision to accept change. No one can expect to get benefits without preparing to do something different. Secondly, he was under good medical care, but was confident enough to make suggestions to his doctor. Thirdly, he was prepared to follow my recommendations of both

LIVING with John Arts

diet and supplements. Such a commitment needs self discipline and also sacrifice to invest financially in your health.

Finally, he was not prepared to accept that in his 80s, life was basically over. He has proved what I have come to know that, even as we get older, our bodies are able to heal as long as we give it the opportunity to do so.

If you are having health challenges my message is very simple. Firstly decide that you need to take the responsibility for your health and be prepared to make changes. Secondly, if possible, get a firm diagnosis about your problem. This will normally mean from a GP or specialist, but may be from your osteopath, chiropractor or physiotherapist if the problem is musculoskeletal. Thirdly, get some good advice about the type of diet and appropriate supplements that could benefit you.

To contact John phone 0800 423559, 07 578 9051 or visit www.abundant.co.nz To read more visit www.sunlive.co.nz

Appeal for Christmas decorations The call has gone out for donations of Christmas decorations and gifts to help bring festive cheer to patients in Tauranga Hospital’s health in aging ward.

The ward has been decorated by senior care agency Home Instead for the past four years and collection coordinator Moira Lomas urges those planning to throw out old decorations to pass them on.

“It’s important because being in hospital over Christmas is a pretty hard time to be in there. By helping decorate the ward or by donating little gifts it will help make a big difference.”

Moira says people have a week to pass on their decorations or gifts, with plans for Home Instead to deck out the 39-patient rehabilitation ward in the festive spirit from Monday, December 12.

If you have items to donate, drop them in to Home Instead’s office at the Historic Village, Seventeenth Avenue or phone 07 571 4228.

By Hamish Carter

The Weekend Sun

37

Mix and match summer swimwear Get fitted for the perfect swimsuit at Era Blu, which is celebrating its fifth summer being open to the public at Mount Maunganui.

Era Blu Mount Maunganui is the only beachfront concept store in New Zealand.

“We would like to thank all regular customers and returning clientele from all over New Zealand and welcome all new customers to the shop,” says retail manager Fiona Bircham.

There is a swimsuit for everyone at Era Blu, from elegant one pieces to mix and match bikinis and tankinis, as well as sarongs, wraps and cool summer dresses.

The store’s signature line, Beachfront Swimwear, has a wide palette of colours, fabrics and prints that are easy to wear and easy to care for in exciting new season colours. Most importantly, the styles have the real woman in mind and are designed to flatter the figure.

Fiona offers one-on-one fittings in the special oversized preening room, which has full length mirrors

Retail manager Fiona Bircham.

Photo by Tracy Hardy.

Entering the world of beauty Heading back to study doesn’t have to be a drag and, with a number of courses in hair, beauty and holistic/body therapy, the College of Beauty Therapy could be your choice for study in 2012.

Winner of the Westpac Business Award for Retail and Customer Service Excellence, let the College of Beauty Therapy and The Hairdressing Academy give you detailed information on course requirements and open the door for you to start your journey into the wonderful world of beauty.

In state of the art premises, this Bay of Plenty College offers international diplomas and NZQA National certificates in a range of courses including nail technology, Makeup art hairdressing, and retail spa treatments student Laura (such as stone Lemos-Rosa. massage,

reflexology and aromatherapy) IPL, fashion, theatre and media makeup and retail.

The college has seen its fair share of great success stories. One of the graduating students from this year has been offered a hairdressing apprenticeship in Whitianga, which comes with a furnished apartment for her to rent and is being trained to become a salon manager in the future. Another is currently seeing the world on a Steiner Cruise ship while working in the field of beauty on the ship.

The college also operates salons and clinics, where members of the public can book appointments for treatments or services from the students (under the watchful guidance of tutors) – an environment that not only gives students real clients to practise on, but also gives clients far more affordable treatments or services as opposed to commercial salons.

The programmes are intense, but graduates leave with a real sense of self confidence and excellent, widely recognised qualifications. Enrolments are now open for

By Laura Weaser 2012.

so you can check out your new look head-to-toe.

To start the season off with a great new look, there are some fantastic pre-Christmas specials in store on the vibrant new range for 2011-2012. Or, if you looking for great summer gift

ideas, Eru Blu has great gift vouchers to treat a special lady in your life to the new summer fashion.

Era Blu is open seven days a week.

The team wishes you all a Merry Christmas and a happy new year and look forward to seeing you all soon.

38

The Weekend Sun

Port facilities ‘poor’ and response ‘too slow’ CEO Mark Cairns answer reader’s criticisms over Rena disaster Without addressing any of the technical issues involved, it looks like we have dodged the bullet by averting a major oil spill from the grounding of MV RENA on the Astrolabe Reef. Firstly, well done to all those who volunteered to help clean up our Western Bay beaches and secondly, well done to the salvage and wildlife refuge teams for a job well done in the end.

Now turning to the real practical issues; Tauranga Port, claimed to be the largest port in New Zealand needs to have on standby a barge of the Awanuia type, capable of taking large amounts of oil off stricken vessels. It also needs

a barge with a crane of the Sea-Tow 60 type, capable of off-loading containers at the rate of at least 5 an hour and lastly ‘A’ buoy type lighted beacons should also have been located on the reef. In this case, the response to the grounding of MV Rena should have been immediate and rescue craft sent from Auckland on day 1. We had 5 days of good weather and action was needed while the ship was basically intact and in one piece. This would have made the rescue and clean up job a lot easier and assisted with taking off the fuel oil and containers from the Rena. Put the necessary protection

measures in place right now so Tauranga can have an urgent response capability because the Bay of Plenty doesn’t need to face this potential environmental disaster again. Next time Tauranga/ Mount Maunganui might not be so lucky.

R Paterson, Tauranga.

Port of Tauranga CEO Mark Cairns responds:

In general, Port of Tauranga has a policy of not responding directly to letters to the editor but I have been incredibly frustrated following the Rena grounding, due to my inability to properly communicate the facts, in view of the two investigations by Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) and the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) that are currently under way.

Port of Tauranga does have a contingency plan in place for oil spill response. This is maintained through a formal partnership between MNZ, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the Industry. It comprises three tiers: Tier 1 – Industry - ships, on shore / off shore transfer sites, including ports (oil spills on site) Tier 2 – Regional Council (oil spills within the harbour or out to the territorial 12 mile limit) Tier 3 – Maritime New Zealand (oil spills of a size, complexity or environmental impact exceeding the capacity of the Regional Council’s response resources) MNZ maintains a national response capability of sufficient size to counter an oil spill of 3,500 tonnes, which is deemed to be a “one in a hundred year” event.

Oil spill preparedness is funded by an industry levy (the Oil Pollution Levy), which is paid by those sectors whose activities raise the risk of a marine oil spill.

In various locations around the port, we hold some 1,360 lineal metres of containment boom and have trained staff ready to deal with Tier 1 responses and to work with the Regional Council in assisting with Tier 2 responses. The containment boom we hold on site includes 200 metres of rapid deployment boom, 600 metres of fence boom and 560 metres of land/ sea boom. None of these booms are effective in open sea conditions and every piece would have been required in the harbour in the event of Rena being floated off the reef and towed into the port.

There has been a lot of criticism that the emergency response was too slow, which we consider ill-informed and unfounded. I must also admit to being surprised at how many salvage experts we seem to have residing in Tauranga. Following are some of the facts of the grounding that I am able to make available at this time: • The vessel struck the well-charted Astrolabe reef, some 24 Km from the Mount, at 2.15 am on 5 October.

• MNZ were contacted immediately following the grounding. I received a ‘phone call from our Customer Service Centre staff at 2.30 am.

• Before daybreak on 5 October (at 4 am), our staff, along with the Harbourmaster and MNZ staff, attended the vessel to assess the prospect of refloating and towing her off the reef. The incident was immediately categorised as a Tier 3 response..

• The very next day, the Director of MNZ issued a Section 248 Notice under the Maritime Transport Act, declaring the vessel a hazardous vessel and requiring the owners to appoint a reputable salvor. Svitzer were appointed later that day and are regarded as one of the best salvors in the world.

Having a barge in Tauranga similar to the Awanuia as your reader suggests would not have made a scrap of difference to the Rena salvage operation. Once the bunker barge Awanuia arrived from Auckland, she stood off the Rena for some time whilst the necessary pipework and pumping systems were installed in the vessel to enable the oil to be pumped to the Awanuia.

Heavy fuel oil (HFO) is not a liquid like diesel or petrol. Ships’ fuel storage and delivery systems are generally designed to work in one direction with this very high viscosity HFO – onto the vessel and through the fuel system into the engine.

This salvage is an extremely complex operation and we take our hats off to the Svitzer team who have worked in the most inhospitable and dangerous conditions and have now successfully reduced the risk profile that we face. To quote Tauranga City Mayor, Stuart Crosby, “we have certainly dodged a Scud missile” in this regard.

We also thank the thousands of volunteers who have worked tirelessly to restore our beaches to a reasonable condition.

We are co-operating fully with the current investigations and will welcome any recommendations that prevent a recurrence of such an event.

free BUS services

TAURANGA TO SKYCITY HAMILTON 1st Stop 9.30am: Bayfair Shopping Centre - Harris St 2nd Stop 9.45am: Central Tauranga - Wharf St (By the I-Site) 3rd Stop 10am: Greerton - 1272 Cameron Rd (Outside Caltex) Departs SKYCITY Hamilton at 3.45pm Please note: The free Sunday bus service will resume in the New Year.

PLEASE NOTE: All bus passengers must be 20 years of age or over and proof of age may be required. Admission onto the bus is strictly on a first in first served basis. SKYCITY Hamilton cannot guarantee availability of seats or bus timings.

bring along this coupon and have lunch on us!

WEDNESDAY

Receive ONE FREE $5 LUNCH in Vue Bar

Offer valid from 11am-3pm on Wednesdays during December 2011.

CCN:51042049 Exp: 28/12/11 R20 to enter Vue Bar. One offer per coupon, per person subject to availability.

Coupon cannot be used with any other offer, must be surrendered on presentation and is not redeemable for cash.

39

The Weekend Sun

Polling stations neutral? Research a waste: just Google it As a new Kiwi, I voted for the first time last Saturday at the Old Village Polling Station, 17th Avenue.

I was most surprised to see a political party official, complete with rosette, sitting with the Polling Staff Staff. If this is accepted practise, I would ask the following: 1. What is their purpose?

2. How much influence/control do they exercise?

3. On what basis are they selected to attend?

4. If one party is allowed, do not all political parties have the same right?

There could be a situation where there are more political officials than polling staff!!!

Allowing political party officials into polling stations does not present a neutral environment to Kiwis nor does it convey a neutral voting system to world opinion.

A system doesn’t just have to be fair, it has to be seen to be fair.

I am interested in the voting public’s views.

John Rathlou, Tauranga.

Chief electoral officer Robert Peden responds: The political party officials your

correspondent describes are scrutineers. Under the Electoral Act 1993 candidates may appoint one or more scrutineers to oversee the voting process although the number of scrutineers appointed by a candidate cannot exceed the number of issuing officers in the polling place.

Scrutineers must complete a declaration of secrecy that they will not disclose any information other than in accordance with their scrutineer functions, and are allowed to communicate the names of persons who have voted back to their party. In all other respects they are bound by an obligation of secrecy.

Scrutineers are not allowed to communicate with voters or otherwise attempt to influence them as to how to vote.

Their role is simply to oversee the voting process, to help ensure there are no irregularities. In this regard scrutineers play an important role in ensuring the integrity of the election process They are legally permitted to wear a lapel badge or rosette in party colours with the party name, logo or slogan on it, as well as clothing in party colours.

Prime minister of broken promises Judas the Jew sold our Saviour for 30 pieces of silver. Here the Prime Minister is once again reneging on his pre-election promises of keeping the public informed. We now understand

negotiations are already in hand to investigate the possibility of mining on the picturesque Dennison Plateau.

Will he follow the example of Judas?

Norman Jones, Papamoa.

A news item on the 21st of Nov 2011 informed one and all that a group of NZ scientists discovered that an extract could be extracted from Pine bark that could help the brain in many cases. The extract being Enzegenol.

Now isn’t that wonderful, how clever of them. Now some 30 years ago a group of scientists discovered that you could extract from Pinus Maritima, Pycnogenol, which is the same thing as Enzegenol.

Some 15 years ago guess what, a wonderful product was released on the NZ market and it was discovered in NZ and guess what. It was an extract from pine bark. Guess what they called it? Yep, Enzegenol.

You have been able to buy Enzegenol for well over 12 years right here in NZ. PULEZEEZE NZ scientists if you want to know something, bloody Google it. If you don’t find what you want to know on Google then start your research. You could save yourself or the taxpayers millions this way.

An Auckland scientist a few months ago extracted millions from the government to research a gene which is another case of if you want to know something Google it. The information he found after spending millions on research was already available on Google. So what’s the lesson here. Don’t leave money in NZ for research, leave to some kid that can goggle.

Alastair, Bethlehem.

The Weekend Sun welcomes letters and photographs from readers. Preference will be given to letters that are short (200 words) and supplied with full name and contact details. Photos are best in high resolution, jpeg format or supplied as colour prints.

Follow us on facebook facebook.com/SunliveBOP

40

The Weekend Sun

E N T E R T A I N M E N T G U I D E MUSIC

DVD MOVIES

OUT THERE GUIDE

The ever popular guide to ‘What’s On’ in the Bay.

Friday 2 December Group Exhibition - ‘Diversity’

By Group 55 Te Puna from Dec 2-12 at Creative Tauranga Gallery, 112 Willow St, Tauranga.

Saturday 3 December A Festive Pot-Pourri

Oriana concert to feature young talent. Dec 3 at St Mary’s Church, Bayfair 2pm. Dec 4 at St Johns Church, Bureta 2pm. Includes solo items by Petra Wordsworth (aged 11) & Aiyana Jarbadan (aged 12). Adults $12, students $5. Gifts for foodbank under the Christmas tree appreciated.

Art in the Park

Coronation Park, Mt Maunganui 7.30am – 5pm.

Tauranga Society of Artists offer for sale a variety of art to suit all tastes.

Sunday if wet.

BOP Christian Singles

Bring a plate for afternoon tea at Freedom Centre, 36d McDonald St, Mount 2pm. 575 5556

Car Boot Sale

Held by Tauranga South Community Patrol at Greerton Primary School 8am - 12pm. Sites $5 each.

Weather permitting.

Car Boot Sale & Stalls

Dec 10 at Tauranga Girls’ College staff car park, Cameron Rd 8am-1pm. $10 per car or stall. 571 5504

Christmas Dance Party

Dec 10 at Greerton Hall 7.30pm late. $7pp. BYO drink & nibbles.

All welcome. Sonia, Supreme Dance Centre 543 2377 or 027 322 1786 or email: soniahodson@ihug.co.nz

Christmas Market

Fabulous variety of exquisite products.

The Orchard Church, 20 MacLoughlin Drive, Te Puke 10am - 4pm. Free entry.

Kiwicoast Lions project. Ann 573 9790

Christmas Theme Dance

Sequence & old time dancing at Greerton Hall 8-11.30pm. Friendly atmosphere, good music & supper.

Entry $6, members $5. All welcome.

Run by Tauranga Scottish Soc. Allyson 576 9194

Dance Party

The Ultimate Christmas Dance Party.

News, reviews and opinionated raving on the music scene.

Ballroom & Latin at Te Puke Memorial Hall Dec 10 7-10.30pm. BYO drinks & supper. The Dance Centre. http://www.udance2.co.nz

Dutch Saint Nicholas Festival

Fan area on the waterfront 12pm.

The Dutch community celebrates Saint Nicholas in Downtown Tauranga.

Gate Pa Tennis Club

Great social tennis from 1.30pm.

Jean 543 9198

Harp & Voice Street Performing

Gabrielle Gregory Dec 3 at State Insurance Arcade. Dec 6 at Library Arcade, Willow St. Dec 9 at Goddards Arcade Devonport Rd. All from 12-1pm.

Harrisons Art Gallery

Exhibition now on: Pure Gold Harrisons celebrates 50 fabulous years with 50 artists. Dec 3 - 23. Gallery open Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm & Sat 10am - 2pm. Late night Thurs Dec 8, 15, 22 till 7pm. 106 11th Ave Tauranga 578 9322

High Tea

Presented by Kiwicoast Lions at Orchard Church Cafe, McLoughlin Dve. 3 x sittings. 10.30am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm. Tickets $15 available at Gift Rapt & Te Puke Florist. Proceeds to Te Puke child/youth activities. Also Christmas market 10am - 4pm. Wonderful goodies for sale. Free entry to market.

Messianic Meeting: Ha Derech - The Way Sharing The Truth, The Way & The Life together. All ages & backgrounds Jew & non Jew welcome. Every Sat 10am. Geoff or Pamela 570 1438

Otumoetai Playcentre 20th anniversary. All past playcentre members welcome.

Special afternoon tea at playcentre, Windsor Rd 2-5pm with plenty of activities for the kids. All families welcome. RSVP for catering Tanya 576 1764

Papamoa Kindergarten Car Boot Sale Te Akau Ki Papamoa School car park, Doncaster Drive 9am.

Performing Arts Showcase Presented by Yvonne Edwards School of Dance & Paula Harrison School of Dance at Baycourt 7pm. One show only. Tickets from Baycourt & door sales. Ballet, musical theatre, drama, jazz & tap dancing.

Reviews of DVDs, old and new, as well as other bits and bobs.

Presbyterian Church Marton

Marton Presbyterians are celebrating 150 years on Aug 19 & 20 2012. If you have been part of St Andrew’s & would like further info ph 06 327 4532 or email: Standrews@maxnet.co.nz

Sativa Eagle Charity Motorcycle Road

Dec 10 - Ride the Rotorua Lakes.

Leave from Tauranga Baypark Stadium car park area 9.30am. Meet up 9am. $20 donation – spot prizes. To register visit www.upost.co.nz Want to ride pillion? Karl 0274 908 309

Tauranga Brass Christmas Concert

St Andrews Dee St, Mt Maunganui 2pm. Entry $5.

Tauranga Farmers Market

Tauranga Primary School cnr 5th Ave & Cameron Rd every Sat 7.45am - 12pm. Christmas Hamper tickets on sale. Support Omanu Beach Surf Life Saving Club. Trixie 552 5278 or www.taurangafarmersmarket.co.nz

Tauranga Fuchsia Shows

Dec 3 & 4. Sat 11am – 4pm, Sun 9.30am – 3.30pm. Tauranga Arts & Crafts Centre, Elizabeth St West.

Sales table. Entry $3. Pat 575 4591

Tauranga Radio Sailing Club

Model yacht sailing every Sat 11am - 4pm & Weds 1.30-6pm at Lake Taurikura, Scoria Close, The Lakes, Tauriko.

Tauranga Scottish Society

Christmas theme dance at Greerton Hall 8-11.30pm. Allyson 576 9194

The Drawing Challenge

Jump in anytime. You’ll get a Daily Trigger to interpret however you like then express artistically - all for a month. emma_leighh@hotmail.com

Whanau Ora Day

Dec 10 at Huharua at Plummers Point, Te Puna. A special day for whanau to come together & share in fun activities as a community. Entertainment & good health promotion eg diabetes tests, sun smart, men’s health, Push Play etc. For more information regarding food/art/craft stall space, Mahia 552 6238 or teoturu@pirirakauhauora.org.nz

Sunday 4 December Bethlehem Lions Market

Incorporating arts & crafts indoors, at Bethlehem Town Centre car park.

(Second entrance to town centre off

Stories, snippets, strangeness, and general entertainment.

Bethlehem Rd) 8am – 12pm.

Stallholders $10 per site. On wet or fine. 576 0106

Cafe Style Family Service

With breakfast 8.15-9.15am, St Columba Church Hall, Cherrywood.

All welcome. Romy 578 6299

Coastal Country Music Club

RSA, 1237 Cameron Rd, Greerton 1pm start. Wear your Christmas hats, earrings etc & join us for afternoon music. All welcome. June 579 5445

Free Christmas Dinner

Are you on your own this Christmas Day? Please don’t be. Come & share Christmas dinner. The combined Churches of Te Puke are having their 6th Christmas Day free dinner with entertainment & a small gift for everyone – single or as a family, young or old.

Starts 4pm Dec 25 at Te Puke Baptist Church, cnr Station Rd & Malyon St. 573 9042

Mount Maunganui Farmers Market

Every Sun 9am - 1pm in Phoenix car park, rain or shine. Home grown, home made, organic or spray free - fresh fruit & veges, breads, cheese, oils, plants & more.

Downtown the Mount open 7 days.

575 9911

Ngai Tahu ki Tauranga Moana

End of year Christmas get together picnic, 240B Warner Rd, Oropi from 12.30pm. Kim 572 2447 for info on what to bring.

Petanque

Every Sun, Tues & Thurs at Cliff Rd 12.45pm. Boules available, tuition given. 1st 3 visits free. Neita 572 3768

Radio Controlled Model Yachts

Every Sun 1.30pm & Thurs 5.30pm at pond behind 24 Montego Drive, Papamoa to race electron class yachts.

Graham 572 5419 Singles Mix & Mingle 40+ Coffee Afternoon

Zaggers Cafe, Chapel St 2.30pm. Are you looking for friendship or companionship? Mix & mingle with other likeminded singles in a relaxed atmosphere.

Gayle 027 439 3267

Sunday Bible Study

Every Sunday 10am. Fellowship/tea 10.45am. Sunday worship 11am.

1st & 3rd Sunday evening singing 6pm. Tauranga Church of Christ, 1400 Cameron Rd, Greerton.

541 0388

The Weekend Sun’s guide to who’s playing and where.

Tauranga Community Charity Drive

Cambridge Heights Shopping Centre, 158 Cambridge Rd, Bethlehem 11am 4pm. Free entry. Bring donations of non perishable food, new toys & cash donations in exchange of activities, goods & services on the day. Bouncy castle, sausage sizzle, face painting & more. All proceeds go to the Salvation Army Tauranga.

Tauranga Theatre Organ Society

Baycourt Theatre 1.30pm. Usual afternoon programme, last one for the year. Hear & play the mighty wurlitzer.

All welcome. 552 0243

Tauranga Spiritual Society

Christmas dinner with Geoff Clarkson & friends. Senior Citizens Hall, Norris St 6pm start. Members please bring pot luck dish. Non members $10.

Meeshla 022 0797 442

Te Puke Lions Market

Summer hours 8am - 12pm.

Farmlands car park (opp Countdown supermarket). Something for everyone.

Suzane 573 3389 or 027 290 1168

Monday 5 December Bay Salsa

Final week 6. Beginners salsa 6.45pm, improvers salsa 7.45pm, Cuban Rueda 8.45pm. At Otumoetai Action Centre, Tauranga. Fun, social, great for fitness.

No partner required. All welcome.

021 045 4235 or www.baysalsa.co.nz

Body & Soul Fun Fitness

For over 50’s, social events & occasional guest speakers Mon & Fri Greerton Hall, Cameron Rd. Tues Wesley Church, 13th Ave. Weds City Church Otumoetai Rd. All classes 9.15-10.15am. First class free. Men & women welcome. Dianne 576 5031

Feast Tae Kwondo NZ

Every Mon & Thurs at Meredith Hall, Fraser St, Greerton 7pm.

Mark 0274 998 282

Fitness League

Tone & align your body, increase flexibility & stamina. First class free. Mon at Omokoroa Settlers Hall, Omokoroa Rd & Tues at St Johns Anglican Hall, Seddon St, Waihi. Both 9.30am.

Dorothy 549 3378

Harmony a Plenty Barbershop Chorus

Every Mon at Bethlehem Community Church, Moffat Rd 7pm.

New members welcome. 542 4191 or www.harmonyaplenty.co.nz

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The Weekend Sun Junction Coffee & Chat Group

For people with an experience of mental illness 10am - 12pm at Junction office, 4 Roys Rd, Greerton. 579 9890

Katikati Art Gallery

Main St, Katikati Mon - Sat 10am 1pm.

Lyceum Club Ladies

The club will be closed from Dec 12 & re-opens Jan 23.

Clubrooms 68 1st Ave. Dot 543 2260

Meditation

Free classes. Find the real meaning & purpose of your life. Bring out the peace & joy that exists inside you. Mon 10am & 7.30pm. David 576 9764

Papamoa Mumz A great place to make friends.

Coffee group for mothers with babies, toddlers & pre-schoolers. Papamoa Support Centre, 95 Hartford Ave 9.30-11am. 574 7170

Recycled Teenagers

Gentle exercise for 50’s forwards, & injury or illness rehabilitation. Mon & Weds, 14 Norris St, Tauranga, Senior Citizens Club, behind Pak n Save. Tues class finished for the year - restarts Jan 17. All 9am - 10.30am. Taken by Heart Foundation phase 3 cardiac instructor.

First class free. Jennifer 571 1411

Relationship Services

Mon - Parenting Through Separation, free course for separating parents 10am - 12pm. Positively Me 4 Women - self esteem course for women 12.302.30pm. Tues - Parenting Through Separation 7-9pm. Positively Me 4 Women 12.30-2.30pm. Thurs - Parenting Through Separation Papamoa 10am - 12pm. Positively Me 4 women 7-9pm.

Weekend Course - relationship secrets, for couples. 576 8392

Sequence Dance Class

Modern sequence dance tuition & revision every Mon 1-3pm St Johns Church Hall, 94 Bureta Rd, Otumoetai. $3pp. Gordon 573 4333

Sit and Be Fit Class

Seated down class. Focused on balance, stability, aerobic, flexibility & strength. Tues 11.30-12.30pm at Papamoa Community Centre, Gravatt Rd. Weds 11am-12pm at Greenwood Park Village, Welcome Bay. 578 9272

YMCA - ALFS

(Active lifestyle for seniors). Smooth Movers class Mon 8.45-9.45am & 10-11am at Matua Community Hall, Levers Rd. Also 9-10am & 10-11am at Arataki Hall, Zambuk Way (off Grenada St). Tues 9.15-10.15am & 10.30-11.30am at Papamoa Community Centre, Gravatt Rd. Weds 9.15-10.15am Welcome Bay Hall, Welcome Bay Rd. Thurs 8.45-9.45am at Otumoetai Action Centre, Windsor Rd. Also 10.30-11.30am at Bethlehem Hall, Bethlehem Rd. Fri 9.15-10.15am

at Papamoa Community Centre, Gravatt Rd. 578 9272

Tuesday 6 December Conversation Cafe

For housebound seniors every Tues 10am - 12pm. Morning tea, fellowship, games. St Andrew’s Church, Dee St, Mount. $5. 575 9347

Depression Support Group

Junction office, 4 Roys Rd, Greerton 1-2pm. 579 9890

Excel Toastmasters Club

Learn to be a competent communicator & get your message across. Meet 2nd, 4th & 5th Tues of month at Senior Citizen’s Hall, 345 Maunganui Rd, Mt Maunganui 6.15pm. New members welcome. George 573 3943

Freestyle BMX Club, BMX Inc

Club night every Tues. Meet at 17th Ave Skate Park 4.30pm. A decision then made as to what skate park to go to.

Participants must be 11 years or older to join. Helmets compulsory. Bring money for fish & chips. Check us out on facebook. Key word BMX Inc. Paul 027 742 1756 or 021 916 571

Genesis - Women’s Group

Graeme 543 9282. New evening social tennis from 5.30pm. All welcome.

Jeff 544 4403

Global Hearts Exercise Group

Weds 2pm & Fri 11am. Provides group activities combined with health education that encourages members to live a healthy & active lifestyle. Classes run by qualified instructor.

Vikki 575 0470 or 0272 800 388

KidsCan Great NZ Santa Run, Mauao

Major fundraiser for KidsCan & involves a run/walk around the Mount (3.5km) dressed in Santa suits 6.30pm start. Included in adult entry fee is a free Santa suit, beard & hat & a goody bag.

Start & finish is on the Main Beach near the surf club. To enter go to: www.santarun.co.nz

Ladies Bible Study/Tea

Every Weds 10am. Singing/Bible class 7pm. Tauranga Church of Christ, 1400 Cameron Rd, Greerton. 541 0388

ME/CFS Support Meeting

Chadwick House, 250 Chadwick Rd, Greerton 10.30am. Christmas morning tea, please bring a plate. All welcome.

578 7804

Mount Badminton Club

Every Tues during school term. 10am morning tea at Papamoa Surf Club, Papamoa Domain.

Christmas breakup. Bring $5 gift for exchange. New members welcome.

Jennifer, Salvation Army 578 4264

Summer social club night Weds 7-9.30pm at Mount Sports Centre, Maunganui Rd. Cost $8 per night.

All past & new players welcome.

Janice 575 2438 or 027 201 0529

Lymphoedema Group

Fellowship at Omanu Bowling Club, Golf Rd Mount 7.30pm. Guest speaker: Helen Anderson - medium.

Door charge $3. All welcome.

Jules 027 235 4462

For education, exercises & support.

56 Christopher St, Tauranga (parking at Citizens Club, 13th Ave) 10.30am.

Host: Kath Vickers - lymphoedema therapist & physiotherapist. Gold coin donation. All welcome. Julie 571 3346 or email: bcsstga@clear.net.nz

Stitching Servants

Every Tues at Tauranga Church of Christ, Greerton 10am. Card, quilt, bear making, knitting etc. 541 0388

Tauranga Acoustic Music Club

Mount Healing & Spiritual Centre

Mumz Coffee Group @ Grindz

New to the area? Want to get out of the house. Meet other mums with Sue & the Nappy Lady. All welcome, bring your toddlers as there is a play room available.

Upstairs at Grindz Café, 1st Ave.

Salvation Army Meeting

Tennis Coaching

For all women every Weds 10am morning tea, 10.30am meeting at Salvation Army, cnr Cameron Rd/5th Ave, Tauranga. This week: Christmas Fun with Major Denise. New members welcome. Jennifer 578 4264

Wednesday 7 December

Age Concern walking group meet at Fernland Hot Pools 11am for potluck Christmas dinner. All welcome. 578 2631

Trust Bar, Bureta Park Motor Inn 7.30pm. Friendly jam session. Sing, play or just listen. Sheryl 552 5906 or www.taurangaacousticmusic.com For adult recreational players, Mt Maunganui Tennis Club 6-7pm.

Greg 027 490 1907

Fernlands Spa Water Exercise Class

At 250 Cambridge Rd 10.4511.45am. Suitable for arthritics, joint replacements, fall prevention & injury or illness rehabilitation. Held rain or shine. Jennifer 571 1411

Friends of the Gallery

ArtTEAfacts 2.30pm.

Fun & Christmas frivolity.

Gate Pa Tennis Club

Friendly social tennis 9am - 12pm.

www.manutere.co.nz www.manutere.co.nz

Walking Group

Thursday 8 December Breast Cancer Walking Group

Meet in front of Blue Restaurant Cafe, Marine Pde 9.30am for a walk around the Mount, followed by coffee.

All welcome. Julie 571 3346 or email: bcsstga@clear.net.nz

Fitness League

Safe, effective, low impact exercise to music using the Bagot Stack technique,

designed for females. All ages & abilities, first class free. Thurs 9.30am Central Baptist Church Hall, cnr 13th Ave & Cameron Rd. Weds 10am at Katikati Memorial Hall.

Pam 549 4799 or 021 117 7170

Great Fun for 14-18 Years

Tauranga Primal, 90 Devonport Rd (opp Brumbies) every Thurs 7-9pm. Come along for free music, food & fun times at our awesome youth group.

Happiness & Our Mind

Drop in meditation classes at Otumoetai Plunket, 59 Otumoetai Rd 7-8.30pm.

Classes self contained, start any date. $12 per class. Next class Dec 15. www.meditateintauranga.org

Keynotes 4 Part Harmony

Womens Chorus meet Thurs at Wesley Church Hall, 13th Ave 6.45pm. Sing for fun & health. Pam 578 3757

Salsa on the Strand

Presented by Bay Salsa. Intro class 8pm followed by social dancing at Buddha Lounge. Great for fitness, no partner required. $2 entry (members free).

All welcome. www.baysalsa.co.nz

Tauranga Heart Support Group

Fun, rehab exercise, social events & occasional guest speakers for those with or at risk of heart disease. Thurs 9.30-10.45am City Church, Otumoetai Rd. Men & women welcome. Cardiac Care leader Dianne 576 5031

Wanna Dance Rock & Roll

Social rock & roll dancing to authentic music at Senior Citizens Hall end of Maitland St, Greerton 7.30-9.30pm. Last night for this year. $2.50 entry. Peter 544 5556

Friday 9 December

Book Launch Love Books for littlies, teens & adults 11am 2pm at Creative Tauranga, 112 Willow St, Tga.

Brookfield Primary School Summer-Fest

Brookfield School grounds, 20 Miller Rd, Brookfield 5.45-8.45pm. Entertainment provided by students plus slide, chair ‘o’ plane, merry go round etc. Variety of food: traditional hangi (limited numbers) - this must be booked at school office 1 week prior to event.

Collect for Animals

Dec 16-17. SAFE seeks volunteers to have fun & collect donations to help animals.

Registering is easy at http://www.safe.org.nz/ Appeal/ or 0800 SAVEUS

Gay/Bi Mens Support Group

Do you need a trusting person to talk to?

Discretion assured. For meetings & locations ph/txt Alex 027 358 5934 Grey Power Coastal BOP & Districts Assn Community centre/library, Papamoa 1pm.

Christmas theme. Entry, raffle & Christmas afternoon tea $3. All welcome. Dorothy 574 7271 or email: greypowercoastal@gmail.com

Kids Fun Friday

Free Bible crafts, stories, puzzles, puppets, plays, skits, snacks & singing at Tauranga Church of Christ, 1400 Cameron Rd, Greerton 3.30 - 5pm. 541 0388

Regular events see www.sunlive.co.nz under the What’s On section.

“What’s On” in the Weekend Sun is a free service for non-profit clubs and organisations. email julie@thesun. co.nz or fax 571 1116 or post to PO Box 240, Tauranga. Deadline 3pm Tuesday. Contributions should be less than 20 words.

42

M U S I C

The Weekend Sun

P L U S

By Winston Watusi

Big act a big punt for jazz fest It seems that every time you look around there’s a new festival being announced.

From what I figure now you could probably attend a music festival every weekend from New Year’s Eve through to Easter.

The National Jazz Festival unveiled its headline concert a couple of weeks back and immediately disturbed a hornet’s nest of controversy.

It came after former festival director Colin Lunt rather publicly took exception to the choice of Earth Wind & Fire as the top act for the planned 50th Birthday Bash.

This is a five hour outdoor concert at the Domain which will also feature blues player Keb Mo and an as yet unspecified third international act.

This concert is indeed a big roll of the dice for festival planners Liam Ryan and Arne Herrmann. Tickets – early bird ones available until January 13 – cost either $90, $130 or $160. They are hoping to attract 5000-10,000 people.

Colin’s objection has already been aired: that Earth Wind & Fire aren’t enough of a jazz band to headline the festival.

I think the organisers can make a very good case for them to be there, but the issue will no doubt continue to be raised.

The bigger question is, of course, will people go?

I’m assuming that with a concert of this size there will be ample wet weather insurance so there isn’t the risk of last year’s rain-influenced loss reoccurring.

But every concert, every show, is a punt.

Organisers do their best to anticipate what an audience wants and then all they can

do is plug the hell out of it and keep their fingers crossed.

The other question, and one that is impossible to answer until after the event, is what effect such a big concert will have on other aspects of the festival.

The hope, I assume, is that a show of this proportion will bring a significant number of extra people to Tauranga and those people will attend other events, therefore everyone benefits.

Of course those people could come to town and just do the big concert, leaving the other shows unaffected. Not really a problem.

Midnight Youth.

But, worst case scenario, a significant number of people could just go to the Birthday Bash, ignoring other concerts they might otherwise attend because either their money or stamina will not spread any further.

Would that matter? I’m not sure.

I have no inside knowledge of the festival budget, but it seems to me that the 50th Birthday Bash must represent the majority of both expenses and possible income for the entire festival. It’s going to be an interesting year…

My main interest in the programme, how-

Brewers Bar Saturday 3 – The Flaming Mudcats CD Release tour starts 8pm.

Club Mt Maunganui Friday 2 – Mark Taipari.

Mt Maunganui RSA Friday 2 – Helen Riley Saturday 3 – Golden Sandz.

Sunday 4 – Tauranga Big Band 4.30-7.30pm.

ever, is the Kiwi aspect of the festival.

It’s the National Jazz Festival after all and organisers are promising a cracker selection of New Zealand music to celebrate 50 years.

The full line-up will be announced on December 7 so we’ll return to it in a couple of weeks.

There’s also been the announcement today of a new festival in February which looks extremely exciting.

This is Summer Fest, an alcohol-free day of music and good vibes to take place on February 5.

The disappearance of the Blues Brews & BBQs event has left a spot which Creative Tauranga has been instrumental in filling, and they are pulling out all the stops for a celebration of summer and local music.

As well as food stalls, dance acts, carnival rides and x-sports demonstrations they, along with the team from the Mauao Performing Arts Centre, have put together a dynamite line-up of bands, all with Bay affiliations and spanning a huge range of styles.

There are more to be announced, but the current crop is Midnight Youth, Stan Walker, Aaron Saxon, The Deeds, Swamp Thing, Nine Mile Stone, Porina and Godsown, and Herm Dub. I’d be surprised if any music lovers don’t find at least one or two of those to their taste.

There’ll be two stages and the day will also include the top three bands from the ‘Packing Heat’ battle of the bands.

Best of all, tickets are family-friendly: adults $10, kids $5, a whole family $20 or $15 with a TECT Card. Come February 5, why would you not be there?

The Boulevard Restaurant Bar & Café Friday 2 – Live music from 9pm.

Sunday 4 – Jam sessions and barbecue.

Bring your guitar and music 2-7pm.

43

The Weekend Sun

D V D

M O V I E S

With Winston Watusi

GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD Dir: Martin Scorsese. Starring: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Olivia Harrison Martin Scorsese follows his excellent documentary about Bob Dylan’s early career with a three and a half hour crack at the life of George Harrison.

It may lack the visceral charge of the previous effort, but it is still a fascinating record of fascinating times and will be lapped up by fans of the late musician and the Beatles.

Ironically, given his handle of the ‘Quiet Beatle’, George gets almost overshadowed in the first part’s 90 minutes which focus on the Beatles.

The Hangover Part 2 follows in the footsteps of Men In Black 2, Evil Dead 2 and others by simply telling the same story again and changing around the details.

So, for Las Vegas substitute Bangkok, for the tiger substitute a monkey, for the missing tooth substitute a tattoo.

The structure is even the same, the film opening with the dazed central trio ringing up battered and bruised to say that a wedding is off, before flashing back to the start of their misadventures.

That said, the film is colourful, the central characters as enjoyable as before and there are many laugh out loud moments.

With the success of TV’s Sons Of Anarchy (also available on DVD) bikerthemed flicks are likely to spike and first sign is The , set in the world Violent Kind of motorcycle club The Crew. Focal point is young member Cody.

After celebrating at an isolated country house the gang have to fight more than cops and competition when an evil supernatural – not to mention very weird – force attacks.

M O V I E S

As he develops as a songwriter and discovers the music and mysticism of India, he moves more into the spotlight; though little is really revealed about the inner character of this young man caught in the intense glare of unprecedented worldwide adulation.

The second section has a lot more on Harrison’s spiritual beliefs, though never tries to reconcile them with his gargantuan intake of brandy, cocaine and women.

This is, after all, a film produced by

The aptly named Butcher brothers wrote and directed and are more than happy to plunge over the top at the slightest provocation.

There’s also a cracking indie soundtrack.

Sick twisted fun, R18 ‘natch’.

Director Julie Taymor is noted for an extravagant visual imagination.

She won awards for her stage adaptation of The Lion King and her last film was the fantasia of Beatles’ songs Across the Universe.

She also does Shakespeare.

After Titus Andronicus, with Anthony Hopkins, which like this was illogically art-directed to death, comes The Tempest with Helen Mirren inexplicably

With Rialto

Jig (PG) Contains Coarse Language Spellbound goes to Ireland in this documentary about the competitive Irish folk dancing scene and the children who compete within it. Jig is possessed of a fierce energy – and an agreeable warmth. Even the parents are likeable.

Put the ferocity down to the sport in question: Competitive Irish dancing in the rigorous, straight-backed, legs-of-lightning, feet-of-thunder style made famous by Michael Flatley.

There’s no need to ask what’s driving these kids, their exhilaration is contagious. More pushed than pushy, the parents we meet have often sacrificed recklessly to support their children’s passions. For girls, dressed and bewigged in kitsch splendour, this is an expensive sport.

with

The Weekend Sun has two double passes to give away to the lucky readers who can tell us who made the style of Irish folk dancing famous?

Enter online at www.sunlive.co.nz under the Competitions section.

Entries must be received by December 6.

his widow (who makes brief reference to “difficulties”).

Terry Gilliam and others scratch the surface when talking about a deep-seated darkness and anger, but these threads aren’t really explored.

So there are few revelations, but the rare footage (yes, even more ‘previously unseen’ stuff!) and interviews with the likes of Phil Spector, George Martin, Eric Idle, Jackie Stewart, Tom Petty and, of course, Paul and Ringo make for an interesting watch.

cast as Prospero (here Prospera). Perhaps Mirren’s King Lear is next. The powerhouse cast (Chris Cooper, Alan Cummings, Tom Conti, Alfred Molina, David Stratham) is supplemented by Russell Brand, who appears to have wandered in from a different film. A bit of a mess really.

Natalie Press’ In Knife Edge hot-shot Wall Street trader relocates to an English country mansion complete with son and rich new French hubby.

Within minutes, story implausibilities are mounting, the five-yearold has an imaginary friend and spooky music dominates.

So… woman and child in big creaky house, strange noises, weird visions and a mysterious nanny... Despite the pile-up of clichés there’s something oddly compelling about the film, partly stemming from characters’ frequently illogical behaviour, but also from an increasingly complex web of plot strands.

Not great filmmaking by any stretch, but I had fun.

Fantastic Not bad at all Dreadful

Damn fine Dubious

Thanks to Video Ezy Brookfield for the DVDs

Across No. 1246 6. T.V and radio host 6. Tree fern (5) (5,6) 11. Oratory (8) 7. Burden (4) 13. Astute (6) 8. Number (8) 14 Daredevil (6) 9. Celebrated (6) 15. Grain (6) 10. Pester (6) 16. Wood (5) 12. Respect (6) 18. Drink (4) 15. Impudent (6) C B N A E H T S I U A S H J E A N B A T T E N K M M 17. Campaigner (8) S D U T E Z L R M D E A R 19. Composition (4) T A X I E A G I L E K Y M 20. River (SI) (11) E U D Q D R G C X R O O K A B S U R D I T Y J K R M Down Y E L E OWW T O A A T O 1. Doctor’s instrum- A T C D H E A R T B U R N ent (8) C H U M I R G A T O I E K R C A P R O N I L I L Y 2. Succulent plant (6) HA O U R E A I D I I O L K 3. Exile (6) AWC C E N S O R S H I P T H E T E M O H T E R F E 4. Injure (4) Solution 1245 5. Tension (6)

44

The Weekend Sun

Firewood an early treat at Christmas As the heat sets in for summer, it may seem like a strange time to gather firewood, but now is the time to beat the rush and take advantage of the Lions Club collection.

Throughout the winter, the Tauranga City Sunrise Lions Club has been collecting firewood, cutting down and cutting up trees donated to them by the community.

Now, with a shed full of wood estimated to be a couple of hundred cubic metres, former president and organiser Ken Evans says this would make the perfect gift this Christmas.

“If you know someone who is a little hard on their luck this season, a load of firewood for the next winter would help spread some Christmas cheer.

The Lions have been collecting all winter for the next season.

“Or perhaps you are stuck for mum and dad presents – this is something they could use throughout the winter and it would be ready waiting for them.”

The wood is a mix of black wood, hardwood, pine and gum to name a few.

The Lions are offering a delivery service to anywhere in the city for $150 delivery for a truck load, about the size of 1.5 cubic metres.

To arrange firewood, phone Ken 07 578 0451.

Dance through your Christmas shopping Sit back, relax, unwind and take the hassle out of Christmas shopping as The Dance Institute leads you on a wander through Tauranga’s newest shopping precinct in their end of year production ‘Shopping Spree’.

Colourful costumes and lighting will complement the performance.

Performing at the Bethlehem College Performing Arts Centre on December 9 and 10, the talented pupils will take you on a retail therapy journey to buy jewellery, books, clothes, shoes, candy and toys, with a stop off at a cafe for that much needed cup of coffee.

The pupils, together with dance teacher Shireen Breebaart have been working hard to put together a fun filled show. The show features a

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fantastic mix of music from the 1960s through to the present day, incorporating different dance styles from classical ballet through to jazz and contemporary. Add to this delightful dancers aged from five to 18, colourful costumes and lighting and there is sure to be something for everyone of all ages to enjoy. This is definitely going to be a shopping spree to remember and one you will not want to miss.

45

The Weekend Sun

Shopping bonus: support charity while getting a bargain Here is a great opportunity to add a few stylish items to your wardrobe without denting your budget.

Shopping at Waipuna Hospice secondhand shops won’t just get you a bargain, you will be supporting a worthy organisation that provides care and support for patients with a terminal illness.

The ‘Give it up for Hospice’ campaign aims to raise extra funds for Waipuna Hospice by selling designer and top quality clothing, shoes and accessories such as belts, handbags and scarves.

Most people know someone who has been cared for by Waipuna, be it a family member, relative, friend, colleague or neighbour. So here is a chance for you to demonstrate your support by checking out what is on offer.

In addition to the huge array of furniture and treasures available for sale, both stores have a designated area set aside to display the ‘Give it Up’ for Hospice 2011 fashion collection.

Jump starting fitness

St Mary’s School’s national Jump Jam champions with Brett Fairweather. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

Hundreds of hours of practise has paid off for a group of St Mary’s School boys with a national title in children’s competitive aerobics Jump Jam. School coach Kim Artus says the team’s 11 members were rapt with the success at the national Jump Jam Challenge, winning the Year 4-6 boys section after training intensely three sessions a week since May. “To win at these things you need to be really committed and they definitely were,” says Kim. Another sign of their commitment was importing Austrian football supporter gear as performance costumes to add to the theme.

Kim says it was the first time a Western Bay of Plenty school team had won at the national competition since it was launched by former world aerobics champion Brett Fairweather to introduce children to

aerobics in 2006.

“It’s a fantastic result.

From 2000 schools doing Jump Jam in New Zealand, only 94 teams made the cut for the North and South Island finals, so doing well in any category is a great achievement.”

Kim says the fitness activity had always been popular with girls, but was now attracting more boys.

Omanu Primary School also did well, taking second place in the North Island finals in both the Year 1-4 open and Year 4-6 open sections. A girl’s team from St Mary’s gained a commendable seventh in the Year 4-6 open section, while Maungatapu Primary and Papamoa Primary came third and fourth in the Year 4-6 Novice section. Papamoa School’s boy’s team was fifth in the boys section and an Omokoroa School team came fifth in the Year 7-8 novice section.

By Hamish Carter

There are plenty of bargains on offer, however, the secret is to drop in regularly as stock changes daily.

New Zealand’s Next Top Model winner Brigette Thomas is the face of the campaign, while singer/ song writer Gin Wigmore has shown her support by recording messages for radio and TV. Anyone who buys clothing from Hospice shops before December 10 can pick up an entry form, upload a photo of themselves in the gear they have purchased and be in for a chance to win double tickets to the Classic Hits Winery Tour and a backstage pass to meet Gin Wigmore.

For more details about the Hospice Fashion Collection 2011 go to www.hospice.org.nz or phone Waipuna Hospice 07 552 4380.

Waipuna Hospice shops are located at: 1292 Cameron Road, Greerton – open Monday to Friday from 9am-4pm and Saturday 9am-1pm.

271 Fraser Street, Tauranga – open Monday to Friday 9am-4pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-3pm.

Some of the stylish and affordable accessories available at Waipuna Hospice shops.

46

The Weekend Sun

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0800 382 828

public notices

travel & tours

appliance servicing

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The Weekend Sun

computer services

to rent

education

wanted

TER NEED COMPU

REPAIRS?

situations vacant deceased

situations vacant funeral directors

Bay Family Homebased Childcare (BFHC) They say goodbye is the hardest word.

So to help you with your goodbyes, we’d like to say ‘hello’.

Because we’ve been around for over 100 years, many Bay of Plenty families already know us. Generations have relied on us to bring family and friends together, to celebrate lives, to share treasured memories and to care for recently departed loved ones.

Caring. Locally. Since 1909.

Chris Andrews & David McMahon Registered Funeral Directors

578 4009 enquiry@jonesandco.co.nz www.jonesandco.co.nz

Supplement the family income by looking after pre-school children in your own home Carers required in Tauranga, Mount, Papamoa, Te Puke and the outer areas.

Benefits of joining our team include: • Free play & music groups, toy library & excursions.

• All nursery equipment supplied free.

• Retainers paid on statutory days &

our Christmas closure.

• Plus more!

For more information or to join our team call

0800 396 406 We look forward to your call

Bay Family Homebased Childcare

50 adult entertainment

$$$$ MONEY for Spring.

Corporate Angels Escort Agency. Ladies and Gay Males welcome for our extremely busy season.

Apply in confidence to Allan 021 606 180

art & craft

ART GROUP 55 Te Puna presents “Diversity” at Creative Tauranga 112 Willow Street, December 2 to 12, 9 to 5 weekdays and 11 to 3 Saturdays.

GLASS FUSING your last chance before Xmas to make some wonderful unique gifts and chill out a little!

Sat 17th December 1pm 4pm - Introduction to Glass Fusing, jewellery or coasters.

Leadlight Expressions, Historic Village, 17th Ave Ph: 571.3726 MOSAIC WAREHOUSE want to decorate your home & garden, make gifts for family & friends. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, all your mosaic supplies in one shop. Huge selection available. Making mosaics is easy & so much fun. Give it a go, you’ll love it. Unit 29, 23 Tukorako Drive, Mount (off Hull Rd) Tues to Sat 10am2pm eftpos Ph 572 3866 www.mosaicwarehouse.co.nz

bible digest

“IT IS BETTER to be godly and have little than to be evil and possess much.” Psalms 37:16 “The steps of the godly are directed by the lord. He delightsin every detail of their lives.” Psalms 37:23

business opportunity

WORK FOR YOURSELF, start your own business today (part or full tme). 2 colour pad/ screen printer, compressor, inks, pads, plates, everything you need to print on pens and promo products. $12,500.

027 407 7832

computers

COMPUTER GETTING you down? Problems, viruses, upgrades, internet, new or refurb PC’s, tuition or advice.

Ph Bruce for a no obligation chat or quote 576 7940 or 021 260 9183 VIRUS & SPYWARE REMOVAL Upgrades, servicing and repairs Free call out and quotation New power supply $70 fitted Motherboards From $100 fitted. All work has 12 month warranty.

Laptops from $300, Desktops from $125.

Wanted - faulty pc & laptops.

Call Crystal Computing Tel: 07 579 5860 or 021 156 0055

entertainment

XMAS ENTERTAINMENT Stars in their Eyes Grandfinalist ‘08’ Tony Wellington 1 to 4hours - 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, Party Hits. Ph 027 387 5594

flatmate wanted

FLATMATE WANTED Welcome Bay, $80 wk inc power.

027 368 6792 or 544 3274

for sale

1993 TOYOTA HI-LUX D/Cab Ute, 2wd, 2.4 diesel, canopy, white, 159,409kms. Rego on hold. $7500. Ph 578 3926

for sale

1998 HONDA LEGEND NZ new - 98000kms. Well maintained in great condition with good tyres. New WOF and Rego to May 2012.

Navy blue in colour, with cruise control, leather, heated seating, factory mags, 6 CD stacker, sunroof, and all the bells and whistles it is luxury motoring! Only $7500.

Ph 027 310 1242 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY GLX. 3L V6. Alloys, airbags, leather, air, all electrics. Serviced since new. Excel con, good towing vehicle. Offers under $4,900 considered. 07 574 9324 or 027 391 6321 BOAT FOR SALE 33ft wooden launch, 70h/p ford. GPS, VHF, stereo, auto pilot, electric capstan. Sleeps 3, 2 burner cooker and oven, electric toilet, game rigged. Good condition, on rented swing mooring. Best of offer $20k. Ph 021 0277 4294 CAMPING TRAILER (POP UP) Good order reg/WOF. Gas power and fridge. All interior requirements. Ready to go. $2500. Ph 07 544 1955 CONCRETE SLEEPERS everlasting and realistic, from $9.00 each. Village Stone, 53 Hull Rd. Mt Maunganui.

Ph 575 4887 FIREWOOD FOR SALE Pine, $55 per cube, minimum 4 cube 0800 4 BAY TREE HYUNDAI 2005 for Sale $9500 ono 137000 kms, silver, tiptronic, only two owners in NZ, wof & rego, great family car. Ph 027 5526283 or 07 5526283 or email tmc@xtra.co.nz INDULGENT, NUTRIENT RICH, body nurturing – Antipodes – buy any two products & get a third FREE. Hardys Bayfair, Hardys Organic Papamoa.

0800 833 333 INIKA COSMETICS Organic and Mineral Makeup – now with a face in a box – incredible value – all you need to start. Value $208 for only $119. Hardys Bayfair, Hardys Organic Papamoa.

0800 833 333 ITEMS FOR SALE leather chair + stool, cane table + chairs, food trolley, childs pram with doll, Rinnai BBQ, Radiocassette. Ph 548 2677 ITS FREE-CEMBER at Hikoi -Tax free overseas orders -Free delivery worldwide -Free Christmas wrapping -Free greeting card. Conditions apply, valid to 25th December (fine print). Chalky digits and keen giveaways in store!! Buy online www.hikoi.co.nz NANRIC ROAD Fine Foods SHOP OPEN – Gift boxes and Christmas Hampers. 50 Nanric Lane, RD6, Te Puke Next Left after Pukehina beach turn off.

OVEN UNIT includes Stainless Panasonic Microwave and Fisher & Paykel oven, approx 10 years old, excellent condition, plus range hood. $450 ono on the lot. Phone Claire 0274 827200.

PAVERS Factory seconds, half price. 53 Hull Rd Mt Maunganui. Ph 575 4887

garage sale

GARAGE SALE - 3rd December, 8am. 65 Gravatt Road, Papamoa.

Moving and downsizing. Clothing, Jewellery, draws, and more.

GARAGE SALE - 3rd December, 9am. Furniture, clothing, household goods. 8 Seabreeze Place, Papamoa.

gardening

GARDEN TIDY UPS for Christmas, qualified professionals, reasonable rates. Phone Carolyn or Alan 579 4984 or 022 0697 033 OAK WINE BARRELS Great Planters. Halves $59, whole $118. Available at Petal Pushers cnr Bell & Parton Rds, Papamoa. Open 9-5 Wed-Sun Ph 542 2761 WATER LILIES, soon flowering, best time to establish. $10 each! ($35 in most nurseries) Phone 544 3418

health & beauty

AFFORDABLE GIFTS for Christmas. NZ made certified organic skin and personal care products.

Phone Nicci for more information on 543 4556 or 021 020 65440 DIABETIC CHRISTMAS GIFT trays – delicious selection nuts and carob.

Non diabetic also available.

Hardys Bayfair, Hardys Organic Papamoa.

0800 833 333 GUARD YOUR PROSTATE Microgenics Protech – supports health of your prostate gland. Save $10.

Hardys Bayfair, Hardys Organic Papamoa.

0800 833 333 HEALTH STARTS IN THE GUT! Primadophillus Reuteri provides Lactobaccillus Reuteri a strain of probiotic with extra power. Save on 30’s & 90’s. Hardys Bayfair, Hardys Organic Papamoa.

0800 833 333 LOSE WEIGHT FEEL GREAT! Join a ‘New Look’ clinic in your area. Healthy eating with real food. Ph Bernice NOW 576 4848 NATURAL NEW ZEALAND Health Products. Something for everyone. NZ Chartered Natural Therapies and Natural Medicine Practitioners.

Opposite BP Te Puke. Ph 573 5533 www.naturaltherapiesltd. co.nz and www.kiwikitz.com SHUZI – THE HI-TECH solution for arthritis, insomnia, peripheral neuropathy and much more. From sports bands to high fashion jewellery. Hardys Bayfair, Hardys Organic Papamoa.

0800 833 333 SMOOTH WRINKLES, rejuvenate skin, repair elasticity - Pro-Col Collagen a pure, hydrolysed triple matrix bovine collagen. Buy one get one half price. Hardys Bayfair, Hardys Organic Papamoa.

0800 833 333 SVETOL the decaffeinated green coffee bean extract for weight loss. Support metabolism and weight management – save $10 off 2 mth pack. Hardys Bayfair, Hardys Organic Papamoa.

0800 833 333

health & beauty

TIRED OF YOYO DIETING. Celebrity Slim – the amazing diet system. Value pack – normal value over $100.

14 shakes, 2 breakfast bars, 2 replacement bars, 5 snack bars. Now $79.90. Hardys Bayfair, Hardys Organic Papamoa.

0800 833 333

house for sale

A PERFECT 3 bedroom home, warm and dry for winter with fireplace and full insulation. Absolutely gorgeous outlook and cool breezes for Summer!

Fantastic family home or for first home buyers - ideal location in Brookfield. Fully fenced on a 716m2 section situated within easy walking distance to Brookfield shops, Schools, PreSchools & parks. Separate single garage with power. Located in a quiet cul-de sac in a great neighbourhood, this home is a must see to see the potential. View some photos on TradeMe #405 700 583 or phone Daphne 027 552 6283 today! Price Slashed to Sell was $330 now only $295,000 FANTASTIC LIFESTYLE BLOCK AT PIKOWAI Within easy commuting to Tauranga, Te Puke and Whakatane this 4 bedroom brick home is in paradise!

Beautiful sea and rural views 6 acres grazing land, horse pens, heaps of shedding, butchery and chiller for own use single garage with sleepout/office big games room or can be converted to extra double garage, chook house, drenching race for the cattle.

11.5 x 4.5 metre in ground swimming pool which is fully decked and fenced. This is a beautiful home and comes with a share in the community woolshed, tennis courts and cattle yards. Own water scheme. Fantastic community to belong to - be in quick! Price of house has been slashed! to $550,000 - urgent sale.

Ph 027 281 7427 today.

mobility

JOYRIDE MOBILITY S C O O T E R exc condition, hardly used from new, battery good. Paid 4k new. $2500. Ph 542 4485 or 021 708 210 MOBILITY SCOOTERS, wheelchairs, walkers, & more Visit our showroom, 29 Burrows St, Tauranga, ph 578 1213.

Mobility Equipment Services, ‘Supporting your independence’

personal

HAVE A BOOMING CHRISTMAS – Pro- erex Booster Plus – buy one get one free – better sex naturally. Hardys Bayfair, Hardys Organic Papamoa.

0800 833 333

pets

CANINE CARE & Cardio PET SITTING and exercise service. Te Puke - Mt Maunganui. All animals welcome.

Ph Kylie 07 573 7917 or 021 028 60464 DOGGY DAY CARE – fun and socialisation for your canine friend. Ph 5766101 www.preciouspaws.co.nz

The Weekend Sun

pets

PET SITTING - Book now for Christmas. Pet care and feeding in your home by qualified and experienced Vet Nurses and Pet Sitters. Ph 5766101. www.preciouspaws.co.nz

removal

FREE REMOVAL unwanted steel, ovens, dishwashers, washing machines, fridge/ freezers, car batteries, etc.Phone Breno 021 608 129 Or 544 6560

to let

CARAVANS, special Spring rates from $30pw. Free local delivery. BOP Caravan Rentals Ltd, 184 Waikite Rd, Welcome Bay. Phone 544 1509 or 027 533 9301 COUNTRY COTTAGE Plumbers Point, 2 bdrm, no garage, $220p/w incl power.

Applicant required to supply two references including one from current employer. Ph 548 0571 HOUSE WANTED for rent - 4 bdrm. Family moving to Tauranga in the new year.

Welcome Bay to central area.

Ph 07 544 6308 or 021 851 109 URGENT - WANTED to let.

Very busy caregiver requires 4 days a week a room in Tauranga area. Ph 021 663 650 LARGE 4 BEDROOM house with self contained unit, 3 car garaging, section available 5th Dec. $450 per week 6+month term. 027 472 6404

trades & services

ALLAN HOLMES FOR ALL your carpentry & Handyman jobs around the home.

Big or Small. Free quotes.

Reasonable rates. Call 021 992 678 or after hours on 07 576 3543 BAY PAINTERS INC for all your painting needs. Interior and Exterior. Colour consults available. Call Lewis FREE on 213 0784 or 021 555 013 BETTY’S SEWING alterations FREE quotes. Independent Rawleigh distributor - famous for antiseptic salve and medicated ointment Welcome Bay Phone 544 1678 BUILDER 30 YEARS experience in BOP. Specialised in outdoor areas, decks, pergolas, retaining walls, fences etc.

Reasonable rates.Free quotes. Ph Keith today on 578 6869 or 021 377 387 BUILDER AVAILABLE NOW New homes, renovations, bricklaying, quality rates, quality work. No job too big or small. Call me now for a quote. DK Builders - Dieter 021 474 299 or 574 2139 a/h EARTHWORKS Truck / Digger hire, Tree removal, Farmwork. Opening special only $80+GST per hour. No job too big or small. Call Carl at Addison Civil today 0274 636 560 ELECTRICIAN A professional and affordable registered electrician.

New builds, alterations, repairs. Ph Steve 5780555, 027 8486042 ELECTRICIAN Able to do all jobs. Alarms, New Houses and renovations. Registered.

Quality service at great price.

Ph Tomas, Check Electrical 07 544 6448 or 027 566 7872

trades & services

ELECTRICIAN available for all services. Mitsubishi air conditioner supplied and installed for very competitive rates. Ph 027 5473 831 or a/h on 543 0062 EXCAVATION WORK, digger hire, auger drilling, buckets, truck, good rates now. Phone Dennis 021 570 658 GORSE SPRAYING do you have a gorse problem?

Ph today for a FREE quote for all gorse control. Scott 0274 624 769 GUTTERING CLEAN and repairs, moss removal.

Experienced Certified Roofer.

Free quotes. Ph Peter now 542 4291 or 0274 367 740 HANDYMAN BUILDING and section maintenance, decks, fencing, pergolas, painting, water blasting, odd jobs. Free quotes Ph Rossco 027 270 3313 or 544 5911 HANDYMAN from home renovations, maintenance, chain sawing, deck, fences, to odd jobs. Ph Mark 543 3670 or 021 027 38840 INSECT SCREENS Measure.

Make. Mend. Contact Rob at Magic Seal 543 4940 KNIFE AND TOOL SHARPENING will come to your home or work place.

Knives $3.50 each. Ph Mark 543 3670 or 021 027 38840 LAWN MOWING Otumoetai and surrounding areas.

Prompt reliable service.

Free quotes.

Phone Richard 576 9964 or 027 621 9993 NEED HELP WITH ACCOUNTS? File system organization, GST, Wages.

Plus sales generation project management. $45 per/hr.

Call Julie 544 9176 NEED YOUR FLOORS B4 XMAS 5yr SHINING warranty, Green certified, Cork, laminate, Parquet, Tiles, Wood, Vinyl. Call now 0800SHINYFLOORS [ 0800744693] PAINTER / A1 DECORATOR available. All interior and exterior work.

Prompt, reliable, excellent references. Ph Paul 576 4793, 027 689 6252 PAINTER / DECORATOR Interior & Exterior, quality workmanship, friendly services. Over 20 years specialising in residential and more. Quality paint at trade prices. For your best advice in all areas Ph Shane Mount/Tauranga Decorators 544 6495 or 021 575 307 PLUMBING WORKS no job too big or small, blocked drains, plumbing, spouting & roof repairs.

Ph 571 5558 RESPOUT NOW! Call Ageless Continuous Spouting. Made to measure costs less than you think.

For a prompt quote.

Ph 574 0496 RETAINING WALL SPECIALIST Pole walls, crib walls, tilt slab concrete walls.

Excavation and levelling. The best in the business. Ph Mike 0274 942 966 a/h 576 0941

trades & services

ROOFING & SPOUTING Metal fascia, gutter and rainwater systems. Long run corrugate. Maintenance, repairs or replacement.

Free no obligation quotes.

PROFIX 0274 965 375 profixltd@xtra.co.nz ROOFING New roofs, re-roofs, spouting & repairs.

Free quotes. Ph Chris 027 276 6348 or 572 3237 ROOF REPAIRS metal or onduline, gutters & down pipes, clean or replacement, chimney repairs. Certified Roofer over 30yrs experience Free quote. Ph Peter 542 4291 or 0274 367 740 ROOF PAINTING Phone for your FREE QUOTE today! We also do moss removal and water blasting.

Mecon Ltd 07 576 1221 or 021 217 4428 ROTARY HOEING Lawn preparation & sowing.

Loader & blade work. Tractor mowing. Quality work & friendly service. Mini Tractor Service. Ph Murray 543 4538 or 027 200 7480 SHAPAZ BUILDING for all your building needs, trade qualified, new homes, alterations, decks/fences. Ph Tai for a no obligation quote.

577 1802 or 021 997 409 STUMPINATOR STUMP Grinding free quotes & prompt service.

Narrow machine to access rear yards. Ph 576 4245 or 0220 764 245 TAURANGA TANDEM SKYDIVING Best Buzz in the Bay, Gift Vouchers. Ph 576 7990 TIMBER RETAINING WALLS, Decks and all types of fencing.Excellent work at a competitive price. Ph Clive 021 0482 833 or 552 6510 TREE FELLING, PRUNING & Removal/chipping. No job to big or small. Phone Scott 0274 624 769

transport

HELP YOUR PARENTS! Relief for busy families, let us take care of the mobility issues with mum or dad to appointments, outings and assist with Christmas Shopping. Safe, friendly, reliable service. Phone Jackie 552 6614

travel & tours

A HOLIDAY OR DAYOUT. Every week. Small Group Tours. Door to Door Hinterland Tours Ph: Kae & Rick 07 575 8118 CURTISY TOURS TRAVEL Club Coming up Day Trips: Matata/Pongakawa, Wildlife Sanctuary Franklin, Whakatane Early Xmas lunch. Away Trip: 23-27th Dec Northland and more phone 543 9205 FAMOUS FOR FUN! Book with The Touring Company this summer - see our ad for more info. Ph 07 577 0057 SCOTTSDALE SENIOR TOURS, fully escorted owner/operated since 1978. Ph free for colour brochure today 0800 664 414.

Also see www.scottsdaletours.co.nz

work wanted

ANYTHING CONSIDERED looking for a summer job for the holidays. I am a confident, energetic 24yr old. Please Ph Jeremy on 027 781 5549

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The Weekend Sun

If My people, who are called by My name Last weekend, a large percentage of New Zealanders voted for their preferred politicians and parties with the hope that whoever is in government for the next three years, might bring about the changes that would lead to a better New Zealand and a better future.

We need to hope for and pray for good government, but Scripture makes it clear that fallen men and women, trusting in this

world’s wisdom and this world’s solutions, will never bring about the answers this world needs. It should be noted also, that believers looking to this world’s wisdom and solutions (religious humanism) will never accomplish God’s purposes either.

The Apostle Paul declares in Ephesians 6:12 that “we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

He says in Corinthians 10:3-4 that although as believers we “live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons

A reflection on Christmas time In the middle of November, I wait for it to happen and I wonder if it will begin earlier this year than last year. Guess what, this year has set a new record. It has happened.

to sing the ancient songs of faith, (we call them Carols) and being caught up again in awe and wonder. I mean listening to the wondrous story, written nearly 2000 years ago, read again from the Bible. I mean gathering with others with gratitude in my heart to worship a living, loving God. I mean watching a child’s face as they so earnestly sing carols under candle light in an open air service. I mean gathering with family, children and grandchildren and listening to the squeals of delight as they open presents given with love. I mean gathering with family and friends to sit down and eat a fantastic meal amid laughter, good conversation and cool refreshments in the heat of a summer’s day.

I give thanks to God that by a mere accident of birth I live in a beautiful country with an abundance of good things and in spite of all that has happened to me (and you can say this too) I have so much to be grateful for.

What about saving your Christmas?

This year add some wonder to your Christmas. Check out the carol services that are happening in our city. Go to a midnight service held in a number of churches on Christmas Eve. Take the family and grandchildren to a short Christmas Day Service.

I began receiving Christmas advertising flyers a week earlier than last year.

Soon, if trends continue, some retailer will start advertising Christmas specials in the middle of winter. There are now Christmas sales even before Christmas is over and some retailers are talking about holding a mid-winter ‘Christmas’.

I’ve also noticed that people are more and more calling Christmas time the ‘Silly Season’. Personally, I find this sad.

I really, really like Christmas. True there are many aspects to a secular celebration of Christmas that are just plain stupid.

Like the pressure to spend outrageous amounts of money on presents no one needs or really wants. Like getting into debt or maxing out the credit card to salve a guilty conscience because you didn’t spend enough time with the kids during the year. Like the staff party where someone usually goes off the deep end and embarrasses themselves. Like grossing out on too much food or over indulging in alcohol or party pills to convince yourself you are having a good

By Rev Jim Wallace, Minister at time. Yes, this all seems to be plain silly, St. Enoch’s Presbyterian Church actually dumb. But then, that’s not what I mean by the Christmas I enjoy.

THE BAY PARK I mean taking time to celebrate the coming of FUNCTION CENTRE Jesus into the world. I 10.30AM SUNDAYS mean the awesome news Mosaic is a community of people committed to that God loves us so much living by FAITH, being known by LOVE, and being He entered into the world a voice of HOPE in the Bay of Plenty and beyond. through the incredibly risky path of a virgin’s womb and human parOffices are at 3 newton st, Mt. Maunganui ents, born in a stable in an for more info visit www.mtmosaic.org.nz or occupied country. www.facebook.com/mtmosaic I mean getting together

MOSAIC

of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God”.

That’s why God instructs His people in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and (I will) heal their land”.

Our hope is in the God who says that the world is His and all that are in it. Come and visit with us at Jesus First or visit our website www.jesusfirst.org.nz By Peter Whitcombe

Exalt God • Worship Jesus TAURANGA PRIMARY SCHOOL HALL, 31 Fifth Ave

10am: Worship & Communion Service Speaker: David Otway Phone: 579 2729 www.jesusfirst.org.nz JOIN US AS WE MEET WITH THE LORD & HEAR HIS WORD

Live & Serve in the Power of the Holy Spirit

252 Otumoetai Road, Tauranga

Sunday Services 9:30am & 6:00pm All welcome!

See website for more info

www.citychurchtauranga.org.nz

52

99 Only $1 9 9 $ or without Dental

The Weekend Sun

Summer check up Just as you get your car serviced or visit your dentist regularly, it can be very beneficial for your pets to have a thorough check up too.

It is usually much easier to treat health problems in your pets if we discover them early. For example, bad breath may be a sign of poor dental health.

Saving teeth

If we give your pet a full dental exam, scale and polish, we may be able to save teeth,

rather than extract teeth that have been slowly decaying.

Increased thirst and urination are early signs of infections, kidney disease, diabetes and hormonal imbalances. A simple blood test may diagnose these, so we can get started on treatment.

Itchy solution

We have many safe and simple medications for cats and dogs developing arthritis or suffering with flea and worm infestations.

At this time of year, a lot of our pets are itchy and irritated by skin allergies and ear infections. Catching these early prevents the problem getting out of hand and we can start on preventative-type treatments.

Lumps and bumps are a common concern on older pets, but are sometimes seen in younger

VOICE

ones as well. We can check them by aspirating cells with a fine needle and examining them under a microscope. If a skin mass needs to be removed, it is much simpler to take it off when it is small.

Don’t forget to check your pets’ vaccinations are up-to-date before you head off on your summer holidays.

Kathleen joined VCT in 2005. She completed her veterinary degree in 2003 and has a special interest in Ophthalmology (eyes) and Oncology (cancer).

She is proud mum to Manny (dog) and Woof (cat).

Cure embarrassment of unsocial dogs Don’t be distressed by your dog’s behaviour towards other dogs – dog trainer Wendy Graydon says keeping your dogs away from others may be doing more harm than good.

Wendy’s new classes ‘The Unsocial Dog Club’ is designed for those dogs that “can’t get on” with other dogs in public, causing their owners frustration, embarrassment, resulting in a lot more time left in the backyard.

“Dogs that get overexcited probably haven’t had a chance early on to be social or are social younger and then there is no continuation after puppy class,” says Wendy.

“Dog owners often forget their dogs need constant contact on and off, to meet and greet properly, so they don’t get overexcited and jumpy.”

Wendy’s classes teach dogs how to get along – walking past other dogs and lots of meet and greet time. It is not just for the

dogs though, as she also teaches owners some tips on how to control their dog and understand there is no need to be embarrassed.

“Most say, I just want to walk my dog without a hassle, have a good walk without being worried.

“I try to get owners past the embarrassment so they can try again.”

Wendy’s classes also use hoops and jump – ‘intelligent play’ – to keep the dogs distracted while in a social environment to help them relax.

The classes run Monday from 6pm to 7.30pm at Greerton Park. For more information email Wendy info@thedogtrainer.co.nz

By Laura Weaser

53

The Weekend Sun

A sleeping conundrum If I can figure out what that means, I will be leaving dog school and heading to university as a Rhodes Scholar.

It all came about because I was asked over to Flo’s place for a sleepover. Uncle and Auntie are now left trying to figure out how you can invite someone for a sleepover when there is no sleep involved – which is the conundrum.

Apparently I am the culprit and was ushered back to the boss man’s place pronto.

It was all supposed to be about helping Flo get comfortable in her new accommodation; the laundry. But I do not like being in

The ‘born free’ moment.

restricted places and the laundry is certainly up there with being in a submarine as far as restricted spaces go. It was not for me I can tell you, along with most of Te Puna.

Now it was only last week that I pointed out that I am not a teacher; I am a free spirit, a dog on a mission or whatever. So please do not lock me in a cupboard – all be it with a swinging door in it – and try to read Flo bed time stories. It was a recipe for disaster.

Flo has a lot more to say on the matter and it is lucky uncle is not around to add his bit.

He is possibly catching up on a few lost zzz’s, as having the covers pulled off you at 3am is just not cricket. Well by a dog anyway.

I am happy to report, I am back patrolling The Strand, attempting to keep the streets safe for you all as with the silly season now upon us, the ‘turkeys’ are about.

And the human variety, if they cannot act with some common decency and show a little respect to others, should be treated like the ones on the front page of our Coast and Country paper out this week.

If there are any of you wee pups out there or dogs like me who require a little more training, Wendy Grayson is running a few holiday programmes through the Christmas period. My thoughts though are why, if it’s holiday time for two-leggers, should we have to go to school? Not for me, I am already dreaming about free ranging in the wild, the only school I like.

Life has been full of new and interesting discoveries this week.

Now with all my vaccinations on board,

thanks to Jorg and the team, I can roam freely, as free as the wind blows, as free as the grass grows…

Till I come to the end of the long lead.

Wendy the Dog Trainer took me on an enlightening lesson at Memorial Park where I had the importance of recall reinforced.

I’ve also been for some pretty exciting runs with the big boys in the neighbourhood. Jim came by for his morning walk and took me for a burst with Big Bobby and Big Sam. Roxy joined in too. It was like a retriever convention out there.

With all the hot weather, the boss has been watering the tomatoes and I have been incredibly helpful with this task. Especially with the hose, which magically pours water out the end. This requires barking, biting and running away with, all at the same time.

The bosses thought it was really funny, until I decided to run inside the house – while the hose was running full bore. As if they haven’t had enough water issues lately. So my hose exploits have been curtailed somewhat and restricted to the lawn only.

Now the Canine Quarters (laundry) has been rebuilt, the bosses reckon it’s time I moved in there at nights. They tried this when Ady came for a sleepover, but the pair of us made such nuisances of ourselves we were back in the bedroom by 3am. Ady then spent the rest of the night till dawn trying to weasel her way under the duvet. Geez girl, it might work at your place, but it’s not accepted in my household’s Code of Practice.

Still, I’m told it’s only a matter of time before

I am annexed to my own room. I guess the cute puppy looks won’t work forever.

Take it easy all and party on, but safely and wisely.

Training by Wendy Graydon, The Dog Trainer. 0210 700 111 Repairs and Maintenance: The Mobile Vet 0800 VETCALL Sustenance: Ziwipeak. www.ziwipeak.co.nz We do all our own stunts.

54

The Weekend Sun

Hands-on skills in a commercial site Working from a fully operational Road Transport, Warehousing and Logistics Training Centre in Greerton’s Maleme Street, Bay of Plenty Polytechnic’s National Certificate in Distribution Level 2 and 3 students experience the real life pressures they’ll find when going into the work force.

With a 3000 square metre warehouse, it doubles as a commercial site where students learn the skills of warehousing and distribution in a real working environment. They also work alongside the Road Transport students at the same location who are working on achieving their truck licenses.

Course coordinator Jon Stewart says there is no pretending in this operation, students are taught a high level of responsibility and safety like any other workplace.

Jon says the Level 2 certificate is an entry level into the warehousing and distribution industry, teaching students practical skills including forklift licensing and correct safety procedures. The Level 3 certificate is new for 2012 and expands on the skills learnt in the Level 2 programme and is ideal for those already working in the industry and for those wanting to boost their skill set or climb the career ladder. This goes in-depth into stock management, inventory control, managerial skills, team leadership and communication.

With the Port of Tauranga on our backdoor, the Bay of Plenty is the best place to start a career in distribution

with ties to the industry and hands-on work experience.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in warehousing and distribution, phone Bay of Plenty Polytechnic’s information centre today, 0800 BOPPOLY or visit www.boppoly.ac.nz

By Laura Weaser

Dave Cox, Gavin Gardner, Jon Stewart, Dale Brunskill and Des Holden with one of the Crown forklifts used at the BOP Polytechnic training centre. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

A Kiwi exchange for an Italian experience Last week, The Weekend Sun caught up with the Stewart family who sent their daughter Tonya on an AFS exchange to France.

This week we talk with Mattia Tettamanti – the Italian exchange student who has joined the Stewart family.

In an exchange for a nice host family in France for their daughter, the Stewarts opened up their doors to an exchange student, proving access to the beauty of

Mount Maunganui and New Zealand culture. “Tonya’s brother Reed agreed and thought it would be nice to have another boy around,” says Shelley Stewart.

“We hoped Tonya would be taken in by a nice family and we figured we live in Mount Maunganui, by the beach, the kids love their school, why wouldn’t we want a student?”

Shelley says it is a big commitment, but one the family is enjoying.

“It has been great, lots of fun and lots of laughs and also a really big learning experience for your family.

“You learn about that culture and how they do things differently and how they do things is different to how we do things. You have to be quite open.”

Mattia, who has been in New Zealand for just three months, says at first he was confused and worried about the right behaviour, but found the warm easy going nature of the Stewart’s put him at ease.

“I’m focusing on enjoying my experience, being a son for my host family, make new friends, know this culture, visit as possible this beautiful place and study for my new different school. Be responsible and happy is the key to giving this place my best.

“I couldn’t hope in a better family when I was in Italy. I feel so good when I am with them. They’re always close to me helping for everything.

I’m not just sharing the house with them, but we are living as son and parents.”

The Tauranga AFS chapter are expected to host eight year programme exchange students from January 2012 until January 2013, of which they are still looking for three new families.

In July, 2012 they also get five to six intensive Programme Students who are here for approximately eight weeks.

Mattia Tettamanti.

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The Weekend Sun

New Zealand Educational Tour director Ian Turner, BOP DHB chief executive Phil Cammish, New Zealand Educational Tour director Adele Marsden, BOP DHB Arts Committee chair Mary Hackett and Tauranga Arts Festival general manager Jo Bond with some of the 29 photos being donated to the hospital as part of the arts festival.

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Mount Maunganui had a Santa Parade on Sunday. Photos by Letitia Atkinson.

Photo by Tracy Hardy.

All Stars Cheerleaders show their skill at the Santa Parade.

Mount Maunganui Primary School’s Molly McGovern conducting Bay of Plenty Symphonia playing ‘Pink Panther’ at the Kids Concert at Baycourt on Friday. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

The Radio Network.

Papamoa Kindergarten pupils got dressed up for the parade.

Tauranga City Marching Team.

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