Otago Regional Council (ORC) chief executive Sarah Gardner announced this week that she is leaving the organisation.Sarah had held the chief executive position since January 2018 and ORC chair Andrew Noone said she had been a “well-respected and highly thought of chief executive”. “It has been an absolute privilege to lead such a special organisation full of talented people who care about their region,” Sarah said.Highlights of her time with the organisation include the new programmes for biosecurity and catchment management in Otago; the development of a “fit for purpose organisation with the budget and staff to do its best work”; the extensive progress made on planning for land and water management; and the development of partnership with treaty partners that has become significant in many aspects of ORC’s work, Sarah said.“While often misunderstood, the work of regional councils is vital to the future of regions like Otago,” she said. “Management of natural and physical resources, building resilience to natural hazards and climate change, and facilitating community work for environmental benefit, pest management and landowner led outcomes is imperative for future generations.”Sarah said regional council staff are special people who work hard and sacrifice more lucrative careers for the public good.Andrew said Sarah had made a considerable contribution in her time at ORC.“She has raised the practice and performance of the organisation…Her legacy will be evident in several areas, particularly with the strength of the team she has built in the organisation, with the greater role council is playing in projects making a difference on the ground across Otago, with the fit for purpose freshwater policy in progress and in the exciting new headquarters development that the organisation expects to relocate to next year,” he said.“Mrs Gardner will be sorely missed and we wish her every success for her future.”PHOTO: Supplied

The Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT) has appointed local businessman Richard Thomas as chair.QLCHT is a not-for-profit social enterprise created to manage and deliver affordable housing solutions to those essential to the community who cannot afford it.Richard’s appointment follows the resignation of previous chair Andrew Blair, who had been in the role since October 2018 and retired at the end of April.  Richard said he is looking forward to progressing the trust’s work further as chair and a trustee. “I believe I’m well connected to the community and plugged into the issues people in our region face,” he said. “The importance of wellbeing and community have never been greater in this very trying and uncertain Covid-19 environment. The stress and pressure on business owners, employers, employees, and families is real. It has significantly ramped up as the pandemic has taken hold and it will have a long tail.“On top of that, inflationary pressure and the region’s housing affordability are putting home ownership even further out of reach for families wanting to call the Queenstown Lakes region home. I look forward to being part of the housing solution for many local residents in both the short- and long-term future.”QLCHT deputy chair Joanne Conroy said Richard is a welcome addition to the trust.“His intimate knowledge and understanding of local community issues, along with his extensive business acumen, means he’s well placed to steer the trust on the next phase of its journey.”Richard has a commercial background and has been involved in businesses throughout New Zealand and overseas. After returning home from the UK in 2002 to take over a family-owned business, he’s now a director of Skyline Enterprises Ltd amongst other local entities. He is also involved in other facets of the Queenstown Lakes District, including Snow Sports NZ and is the chair of Destination Queenstown. Joanne acknowledged the valuable contribution from outgoing chair Andrew Blair, who led QLCHT for more than three years. “We feel privileged to have had Andrew at the table and wish him all the best,” she said.PHOTO: Supplied

Christan Long’s unconventional childhood in remote Gorge River has trained him well for a lifetime of adventure in some of the world’s most demanding environments, and now the Wānaka resident has written an account of his life.Chris (30), who attended Mount Aspiring College (MAC) for his final year of schooling, is the son of Robert Long and Catherine Stewart, who live in isolation at Gorge River, two days’ walk south of Haast.The family (including Chris’s sister Robin) has come to be known as “New Zealand’s remotest family”. Chris has now visited 60 countries on six continents, spent time in Antarctica and the High Arctic, and “had quite a good look at the world”.He has taken care of 300 huskies in Norway, led a trip to Cape Adair (Antarctica) with three scientists to collect penguin poo, cooked on a Russian icebreaker, and learned to sail on the Northwest Passage.“Growing up I learned how to be self-sufficient and reliant. You learn to live in harmony and balance with nature.”Chris said the skills he learned can be applied anywhere.“I’m now comfortable living anywhere on earth.”Chris credits his upbringing; his Outdoor Pursuits instruction at MAC with Dave Cassaidy; and his completion of an outdoor leadership and management course at Otago Polytech, with making him “hireable” for outdoor jobs.After Polytech he set off to learn and explore as much about the world - and himself - as he could.“Pretty much my first job was working in the kitchen of a Russian icebreaker ship in Antarctica,” he said.Luckily, he doesn’t fear learning something new, or being thrown in at the deep end. Christan with his parents and their books.Despite never having sailed before, and knowing he got seasick, he hitched a berth on a yacht sailing the Northwest Passage (the sea route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic Ocean).“We set off in the remains of a tropical hurricane in New York: Thunder and lightning and five to 10 metre waves; 45 knots of wind. We learned in the process. It was like a crash course.“When you push your comfort zone, that’s when you learn the most about yourself and the place you’re in.”Chris’s father Robert, who has lived at Gorge River for more than 30 years, wrote A Life On Gorge River in 2010; his mother Catherine followed in 2012 with her own book, A Wife on Gorge River.Chris told the Wānaka App he always expected to one day be asked “what happened to the kids who grew up in Gorge River?”.The Boy From Gorge River is his answer.  In June 2020 he was commissioned by Harper Collins to write the book, and took advantage of the circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic to do it.He was living in Norway looking after the 300 huskies at the time. After returning to New Zealand, he spent his MIQ time writing, and another month at Gorge River to finish. After a few months’ editing, the book went to print in December 2021.Chris hopes the book (with a 50/50 focus on his childhood and his adult life) will “inspire anyone to get off the couch”, either to go on an adventure or maybe plant a vegetable garden in the backyard.“Younger people, whoever they are, want to go and explore the world. And it doesn’t matter where you come from, you can achieve that.“People will teach you anything as long as you’ve got personality and are keen to give things a go.”Meanwhile Chris is staying in Wānaka for the winter and enjoying being “a bit settled”. After that, there are many places he’d like to explore, and he’s not sure which one will be next. Perhaps the Himalayas, he said.“If you see me around town, tap me on the shoulder,” he said. “I love talking to people.”The Boy From Gorge River is available from Wānaka Paper Plus and The Next Chapter. You can learn more about Chris and his adventures by following @wildkiwiadventurer on YouTube and Instagram.Chris will also be speaking at the New Zealand Mountain Film and Book Festival in Wānaka in late June.PHOTOS: Supplied

A pioneering member of the Upper Clutha community, Lesley Burdon, was farewelled at her home on Glen Dene Station, Lake Hāwea, last week (Friday April 22).Lesley was a former Queenstown Lakes District (QLDC) councillor and member of the Wānaka Community Board (WCB).She died on April 14, 2022, aged 78.Her life touched many people, Wānaka Anglican vicar Damon Plimmer said at the celebration of her life, in the garden she created overlooking Lake Hāwea.“She was a woman of generosity and principle. a great supporter of her community, including her church St Columbas; pioneering the way for others and offering a vital voice to the issues of the day.”Lesley and her husband Jerry had been married for 57 years, and have three children, Jo, Richard, and Andrea; and eight grandchildren.Lesley Burdon and husband Jerry.“Her other great love - other than me - was her magnificent garden,” Jerry said at the service.Lesley started her garden (well known in gardening circles) from nothing at Glen Dene. “I moved the fences three times and said ‘that’s it’,” Jerry said.Daughter Jo said Lesley was the family matriarch, who embraced all things in the community.“Mum had a wonderful vision and energy for the land and the people and was an amazing farming partner for Dad,” she said.Lesley was one of only two women on the Rabbit and Land Management Advisory Committee, and the first female chair of the WCB.“She stood up for what she believed in,” Jo said.Richard said his mother was also chair of Wānaka St John at a crucial time, “when Wānaka was changing from a small rural community to a fast growing tourism town”.She was positive, enthusiastic and generous, he said, and loved helping people.During her six years on the QLDC and WCB, from 1992 to 1998, “her values remained firm as a rock”, he said.Her passion was getting the job done, with a focus on the protection of green spaces, he said. “She participated in over 500 hearings and plan reviews… [and was] known for her debating skills. She poured her heart and soul in getting good outcomes for the district.”The Wānaka App spoke to Lesley in September 2021, talking about the proposed petition to end the Upper Clutha’s association with the QLDC.Lesley said she was the first woman chair of the WCB and “it was a hell of a battle”.She said any move for Wānaka to leave the QLDC might make the council “pull its socks up”. Her concerns included the low proportion of QLDC rates spent in the Upper Clutha, and Wānaka’s access to council staff. “Queenstown is not looking after us,” she said. “We all like to feel we are getting value for money.”Lesley, a trained nurse, joined the Vincent Hospital Board in 1987 and in 1989 became a member of the Otago Health Board, advocating for rural health services.She and Jerry farmed Glen Dene Station from 1979 until Richard took over in 2003.Former councillor Neville Harris worked with Lesley on both the council and WCB.She was a great debater and orator, and had the potential to be mayor, he told the Wānaka App.Neville worked with her on the first District Plan, which was an “horrendous job”, involving thousands of submissions. “Lesley was very precise,” he said.Wānaka’s Green Belt (from Wānaka Station Park, Pembroke Park and the recreation reserve, through to Faulks Reserve and the Golf Course, then Lismore Park and Eely Point) had been dropped in the changeover to district plans, and Lesley was a strong advocate for the area to be included and protected for the long term.“She was a bit like a dog with a bone,” Neville said.“We would still talk to each other about two or three times a month about what was going on and what we would do to fix it.’“She was a great woman,” he said.

Wānaka Community Board (WCB) deputy chair Ed Taylor is encouraging locals to get involved with this year’s local body elections.Ed announced yesterday (Wednesday April 20) he won’t be standing again after serving two terms on the board.  “For the most part it’s been a very rewarding experience and I would urge anyone who wants to be part of helping shape the town’s future to put their name forward,” he said.WCB chair Barry Bruce expressed his appreciation for Ed’s substantial contribution to the board.“Ed has the unique ability to envisage the long term future, a valuable attribute that has contributed hugely to our community and the community board,” Barry said,“I'm sure Ed will continue to contribute and serve the Wānaka and Upper Clutha community in different ways.”Ed says it’s been frustrating getting used to the time it takes for the wheels of local government to turn but nearing the end of his second term he’s starting to see a range of WCB driven projects come to fruition.“There’s some real momentum now to complete a number of projects which we have been talking about for a long time. I’m especially looking forward to getting stage two of the Lakefront Development Plan completed over the next six months and also the roundabout at the Mt Iron/ Hāwea turnoff intersection.”Ed is looking forward to progress on stage two of the Lakefront Development Plan. PHOTO: Wānaka AppEd said he’d like to see some work done soon to address issues around downtown parking - before visitors start arriving again in big numbers next year.  “Let’s not wait till we’re busy again; much easier to do these jobs when it’s quiet. We need to identify some more long-term parking options for workers. They may just have to walk a bit further than they’re used to.”Ed believes the future looks bright for Wānaka.  “With forecasts of a potential Wānaka population of anywhere between 30,000 and 50,000 in the next two or three decades, the town is going to continue to change and evolve,” he said.“The prospect of the Silverlight film studio is a great example of ways we can diversify our economy to take the pressure off tourism.”Ed said he is also watching Christchurch International Airport’s proposal for an airport at Tarras with interest.  “If you take a wider regional view it makes sense to have one airport which is able to service all the passenger and freight needs for this fast-growing region.”“Wānaka will always be a desirable place to live and even when it becomes a small city it can still be a vibrant and fantastic place to live and raise families,” he said.At this stage, only WCB members Quentin Smith (who is also a councillor), Chris Hadfield, and Barry Bruce have confirmed they will run again this year.Quentin told the Wānaka App he has “every intention of standing again for the Wānaka/Upper Clutha Ward council seat, subject to any curveballs life throws in the next few months”.Chris said he was “99 percent sure” he would stand again.“My biggest issue is going to be how to get more of the locals engaged in the future issues and off their keyboards,” Chris said. Local body elections will be held on October 8, 2022 and candidate nominations officially open on Friday July 15.

Queenstown Lakes district mayor Jim Boult has announced that he will not contest this year's mayoral election.“This has not been an easy decision to make but I believe it is now time for me to pass on the mayoral chains to someone new,” Jim said.“I have been honoured to have held the office of the mayor in our wonderful district for two terms and am both proud and humbled by what this council has achieved over those five and a half years.  “But after lengthy consideration and discussions with my family, I have decided that I will not be putting myself forward for re-election in October.” Jim said he had thoroughly enjoyed his time as mayor with his only regret that some goals were derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic.“First and foremost, I wish to thank my family for their outstanding support over this period, and in particular my wife Karen for her unwavering commitment and enthusiasm,” he said.  “I also wish to thank my fellow councillors, both from this term and the last, and especially the staff I have worked closely with at council.”Jim confirmed he and Karen intend to remain highly engaged in both the district and wider New Zealand through their ongoing support and commitment to various not-for-profit organisations. Local body elections will be held on October 8, 2022 and candidate nominations officially open on Friday July 15, 2022. PHOTO: Wānaka App

Southern District Health Board (SDHB) chief executive Chris Fleming has announced he is stepping down to pursue new business opportunities with his family.After 30 years in the health sector, 15 of which were leading three different District Health Boards, Chris will finish up with the SDHB on June 30."Despite the exciting future ahead in health, with the transition to Health New Zealand on July 1, I have been contemplating the right move for me and my family, and I’ve decided that the time is right for me to do something completely different for now,” Chris said. "We will be relocating to the Waikato which is where I am originally from."The resignation comes as Health New Zealand, a new Crown entity, prepares to take over the planning and commissioning of services and the functions of the existing 20 District Health Boards.SDHB chair Pete Hodgson said the board was grateful for Chris’s efforts in leading the organisation."Our response has been to express our gratitude to him for his steadfast leadership of the Southern DHB, and to wish him well in the next passage of his life," Pete said."Leading the Southern DHB is not for the faint-hearted. Its challenges have always been cultural, geographical, and financial. The forthcoming new Dunedin Hospital and the move to the new health system have both presented the opportunity and obligation to create New Zealand’s most modern health system. “Chris has seen us begin that journey," he saidThe chief executive of Health New Zealand will determine the next steps in terms of leadership for SDHB staff as it transitions to Health NZ. No formal decisions have yet been made.PHOTO: Supplied

In the midst of an Omicron surge, and in the aftermath of a 23-day protest occupation at New Zealand’s parliament, one Wānaka resident is playing a role in improving social cohesion in New Zealand.Kathy Dedo, LINK Upper Clutha manager, is a member of Kāpuia, the Ministerial Advisory Group on the government’s response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch mosques.Last week was the third anniversary of the mosque attacks (March 15), and the Wānaka App sat down with Kathy to talk about her role on Kāpuia, and the wider implications of this work on social cohesion.Response to the mosque attacksThe Royal Commission of Inquiry into the 2019 mosque attacks issued a report recommending 44 things the government could do to avoid such events happening again.One of those recommendations was to form a ministerial advisory group to advise the government on implementing the recommendations.“Our role is to provide independent advice with a goal of increasing social cohesion and safety for all New Zealanders,” Kathy said.“It’s a very robust set of recommendations, and gives government a mandate to make changes.”The group’s role is broad, battling “those big systemic things” like racism, colonialism, extremism, terrorism, inequity and inequality. Specific issues on the table include national security, gun laws, reporting mechanisms for hate crimes, and more.Kāpuia gives feedback to a range of government departments with those responsibilities, thereby “amplifying voices of people who often are not heard”, Kathy said.The membership is “multicultural and representative of our increasingly diverse Aotearoa”, Kathy said, including refugees, and “people who know what it feels like to not be safe elsewhere and in this country”. Kathy is the Southernmost representative and can contribute a semi-rural point of view.Kāpuia, with Justice Minister Andrew Little. PHOTO: SuppliedKāpuia was formed in June 2021 and Kathy was appointed in October after a rigorous application process. “It’s transformative and eye-opening. I feel privileged to be in the group,” she said. “It has been humbling and I do a lot of listening.”Kathy’s role on Kāpuia gives her a valuable perspective on the wider issue of social cohesion. Not a new challenge, social cohesion has also been fractured by the government’s implementation of vaccine mandates in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.Division from Covid-19 restrictionsKāpuia comes from the whakataukī (proverb) “Ki te Kotahi te kākaho ka whati, ki te kāpuia e kore e whati”: If there is only one reed, it breaks easily, but gather many together they will not break. In Kāpuia, the reeds reflect the different cultures in New Zealand; when we come together we are strong and cannot be broken. “By standing together in New Zealand, we will enhance social cohesion and create a safer country for everyone - by being together we cannot help but have each other’s backs,” is the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s interpretation of Kāpuia.The aim of Covid-19 mandates was to increase vaccination rates, both to protect vulnerable demographics and ensure the country’s health services would be able to cope during an outbreak.But the impact, including in Wānaka, has been polarising. A small but vocal number of local people have protested regularly against the mandates. Some joined the protest in Wellington in February, and others protested daily on Ardmore Street in solidarity.Local people protest Covid-19 restrictions on Ardmore Street. PHOTO: Wānaka AppIn a district with more than 95 percent of the eligible population double vaccinated, the protestors “don’t represent a deep division but rather a small, vocal minority,” Kathy said.However, the presence of a small, disaffected group is significant for social cohesion locally.Social cohesion is about all individuals and groups having a sense of belonging, inclusion and participation, recognition and legitimacy, Kathy said. “It’s not about making everyone the same.”That sense of inclusion was damaged for those people who chose not to be vaccinated. For some, the consequences were significant.Where to from here?“In Kāpuia, one of the things we’ve come to is the need to look forward,” Kathy said.“We can get trapped in relitigating the past. We move forward as a society not by ignoring the past but by understanding it, learning from it, and then asking, how do we move forward together?” Kathy says trying to understand what people are going through is a good starting place.Having empathy goes back to believing in the collective and the common good, she says.“We all call this place home, we all should feel at home in this place.”The Upper Clutha community has expressed quite a lot of support for one another over the years, Kathy said, citing a 2017 LINK survey which identified “the sense of community and a supportive community” in the Upper Clutha’s top five values.“I don’t think, fundamentally, that has changed,” she said. “In our community there are people quietly getting on with supporting one another every day.”Shared valuesThere are some disturbing trends, such as people “shouting before they talk”, and using keyboards to express their concerns, Kathy said.There are also some tangible things which need work, such as reaching a shared notion of the objective idea of fact, Kathy says.Civics, history education and media literacy are part of the solution, she said, and Kāpuia is working with the Ministry of Education on diversity and inclusion projects, such as the new history curriculum.And in situations where there is disagreement about facts and trusted sources of information, the challenge is: “How to extend open mindedness and grace to people with a different point of view, when we can’t agree on fact,” Kathy said.It comes down to identifying shared values, she added.“We might disagree about nine out of 10 things, but what do we agree on, and is that the basis for re-forming a relationship?”Getting to know each other sounds like a simple and perhaps naive solution, but Kathy said initiatives such as LINK’s ‘Neighbours Day’ which encourage us to get to know each other better are useful.“The point of getting together is to share and talk. You’re going to find common ground.”Kathy also feels hopeful when looking at the next generation.“The young people today, they are adaptable, not as jaded. They are naturally open minded to start with. Our kids are more accepting.”Find more about Kāpuia here.

A local woman has recently published her fourth book and is already writing her fifth.  Helen Herbert’s most recent book, Lost Property, which is available at Paper Plus Wānaka, is a mystery about a woman who returns from a work trip to find both her home and husband missing. “It follows the trials and tribulations faced by this woman as she tries to find out what happened,” Helen said.  Helen wrote her first book at 13 - “not a very good one!” - but it wasn’t until her retirement to Wānaka in 2011 that she started writing fiction again. Once she sits down at her computer the words come fairly easily. “I start the book and then the characters start to almost write themselves,” she told the Wānaka App.Helen’s latest novel, Lost Property, is available now at Paper Plus Wānaka.Helen’s books are very character driven, she said, and in Lost Property the protagonist meets some unusual characters and she tries to find out what happened, each of whom have their own story and teach her something along the way.  Lost Property is Helen’s first foray into the mystery genre.She has also written A Year of Change (a story about the lives of a group of characters who live in the same Christchurch cul de sac), Executive Dilemma (a romance set between Wellington and Italy) and There and Beyond (which explores the lives of five young women on their adventure from post-war Britain to New Zealand).  Each novel has taken Helen roughly a year to write but it can sometimes be difficult to find time for writing: “I find myself busy with all sorts of things.” Helen says her books are light reads and women make up the majority of her readers.  Her fifth book, currently underway, begins with a woman discovering a baby abandoned at a bus stop. The second chapter begins with the story of the person who left it there.  “I love putting words together,” Helen says. “It’s always been something I did for myself.” Hard copies of Lost Property are available at Paper Plus Wānaka and her other books are available online in e-book format here. PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka man Glen Thurston has announced a campaign to prevent unnecessary deaths in the construction industry, and he is drawing on his own experience.At just 18 years of age Glen attempted to take his own life and for many years was ashamed of his illness, using alcohol to self medicate.“When I went through it on the building site there was no education, there was no talk, there was no nothing,” Glen said. “My vision is to start a campaign for mental health in the construction industry to help break the stigma associated with depression and mental health.“The ultimate goal above all else is to help prevent anymore unnecessary deaths with more education around suicide prevention and to connect more tradies to the support needed.”To raise awareness, Glen is commiting to climb Corner Peak (1,683m) near Lake Hāwea every day for 53 days beginning on December 1, 2022. Fifty-three is the average number of suicide deaths in the construction industry since 2017, one person every week.“I will attempt to climb Corner Peak everyday for 53 days in honor of those averages,” Glen said.He is asking local tradies and construction companies to support him by joining him on one climbing day and committing to implementing the MATES inducted programme in their businesses.“I hope to get each day sponsored by companies in the construction industry,” he said.“Sponsorship is not by way of money but by way of commitment by the company to join the MATES programme and receive their general awareness training (GAT).”Glenn said that the general awareness training has been shown to significantly improve construction workers’ confidence in noticing other people’s distress as well as their competence in encouraging co-workers to seek support.“In New Zealand, there is this perception that speaking up about personal mental health is weak,” he said. “Particularly in my industry, when we see someone struggling or trying to ask for help we tend to brush it off or look the other way.“What I am trying to do is both encourage conversation and create a support network that holds each other to account. So when someone does reach out we not only know how to engage with them, but also have the tools to support them in getting help.”Glen says he chose Corner peak because it suits the name of his campaign, ‘Turn the Corner’, and because waking up with depression can feel “mountainous”.“Getting into the mountains is my way of meditation, it brings me to such a happy place,” he said.The MATES programme is designed to build and strengthen communities in the construction industry by helping people be supportive and provide an environment that encourages positive wellbeing.Find out more and sign up to support Glen here.Facts about the climb:Each ascent and descent of Corner Peak is a return trip of around 17km53 days is a total of 901kmEach climb has an elevation gain of 1,570m53 days is an elevation gain of 83,210m - climbing Mount Everest around nine times.PHOTO: Supplied

A professional basketball player who played for Scotland for 10 years has established a basketball academy for school students here in Wānaka.  Beth Mackie was a top basketball player in the British Basketball League until a hip injury ended her career in international competition. Now she has brought her skills to the local community with the formation of the Aspiring Basketball Academy. It was after a move to New Zealand to play for the Otago Goldrush team, and a subsequent change of plans when Covid-19 meant the team couldn’t play, that Beth initially decided to launch a series of summer basketball camps in Wānaka, Cromwell and Queenstown. Beth found “huge demand” for basketball and launched the academy on the back of the camps’ success. Her term one sessions are almost entirely booked out already.Beth Mackie represented Scotland at basketball for a decade. “After the camps I had lots of parents and families asking for more training,” Beth told the Wānaka App.  “My impression is that there isn’t much for basketball players here, that it’s not been a big sport in this part of New Zealand.”Beth is offering three types of sessions for local players for a range of ages, but what she’s most excited about is showing dedicated players the opportunities that exist in basketball and the pathways to progression for playing professionally. Scotland is a similar size to New Zealand, with about five million residents, and Beth wants to see basketball New Zealand offer the same kinds of opportunities it does in her home country.  Operating with the support of major sponsor Build7, Beth is currently offering a mix of sessions for students of different ages and skill levels.Beth has recently created the Aspiring Basketball Academy to create opportunities for playing basketball in Wānaka.The first, for years 1-4, is the ‘Pocket Rocket’ sessions, which is designed to introduce young players to basketball. The kids play a range of games for an hour on lowered hoops.“It’s about working on hand-eye coordination, learning to pass and that kind of thing,” Beth said. The second session, the 3X3, is for players in years 7-10. In the 3X3, players play three-aside in a half court with games lasting ten minutes or until one side reaches 21.Beth says the 3X3 game is very popular in Europe and South America: “It’s a much faster paced game and a way that people thought they could get more kids interested in the game.”  3X3 players can also take part in the twice-weekly workout and development sessions that Beth holds, which makes them ‘academy’ players.  She’s looking to expand the programme to include mindfulness training, personal training and other support, to provide all the support players need to reach the next level. These players are working towards competing in the Junior Apples competition in October. Beth says she’d like to see more girl players signing up, and in the future she hopes she can expand to include Wānaka and Queenstown where there has been lots of interest in ongoing basketball training. Find more information about the Aspiring Basketball Academy here.PHOTOS: Supplied

Wānaka plumber Veronika Kreitner has been crowned the 2021 Plumbing World Young Plumber of the Year – the first woman to take home the title in the history of the competition.The 28-year-old, who is employed by Wānaka’s Guy Plumbing & Gas, was thrilled with her win and credited employer Craig Guy for contributing to her development.“I didn’t expect to win at all, I was selected as a Wild Card entrant, so I really thought I was just going to go along for the experience. It’s so crazy that I’ve won, I couldn’t be happier about the result.” “I’ve been taught to be really particular with each job that I do and to always be very organised, this win is a testament proving that being meticulous with each task really does pay off,” Veronika said.The competition recognises excellence among young plumbers, who must be aged no more than 31 years old, to compete and fosters camaraderie and pride within the industry.Veronika at work.The event final had been delayed due to Covid-19 restrictions at the end of last year, and finally took place on Saturday (February 19) in Hamilton, with ten top young plumbers representing regions across the country.Participants were tasked with completing a full bathroom kit out, involving a series of plumbing disciplines to set up a shower, hot water cylinder, toilet, and hand basin. Each element was assessed by a panel of judges, in addition to a written theory test that was completed earlier in the morning. Veronika outperformed nine other competitors from around the country to win her share of $55,000 worth of prizes, including a $8,600 Toolware prize pack and $5,000 worth of Milwaukee tools and accessories.Plumbing World general manager Rob Kidd said each year he is impressed by the quality of young plumbers that participate in the competition.  “Veronika’s win is a testament to her hard work and dedication to her career in plumbing,” Rob said. “The aim of this competition is not only to recognise the talent that is currently in the plumbing trade but to hopefully encourage other young Kiwis to consider a career in plumbing.” He said New Zealand’s construction sector continues to face a growing shortage of tradespeople that will only increase until apprentices can start filling the gaps. Veronika recommended plumbing to anyone considering a career in the trades, especially other women.“There are so many avenues for growth and development within this career, which is super worthwhile if you put in the hard work and aim to always be improving your skills.”PHOTOS: Supplied

Wānaka’s Camille Gulick has set a new record for swimming the 28.6km Foveaux Strait today (Thursday February 10).The Wānaka Lake Swimmers Club president’s official time from Stewart Island to Bluff was just six hours and 57 minutes: almost an hour faster than last year’s record breaker Jono Ridler.The Wānaka App spoke to Camille soon after she arrived back in Bluff.“I still don’t believe what just happened; I can’t believe how well that went,” she said.“I genuinely just went out hoping to complete the crossing. I just had excellent conditions, the nutrition worked, my crew was on top of everything.”Camille said she kept thinking the crew was lying to her when they told her how fast she was swimming.Camille was part of Aucklander Jono Ridler’s crew last year, when he set a new record of seven hours and 52 minutes.“That was a big motivator for me doing it,” she said.Camille Gulick competes in the Trans-Tahoe Relay swim in Lake Tahoe, CA, July 2017.Camille told the Wānaka App she planned to have a shower and then “I’m heading straight to the pub. I’m definitely in celebration mode.”Wānaka Lake Swimmers Club members posted on social media that “Foveaux Strait was showing off for Camille Gulick today, and she more than matched it”. “What a swim, what a day, what an amazing effort,” one comment read. “Those of us who were here know that every second was a thing of badass beauty.”Read more: A passion for swimmingPHOTOS: Supplied

An Upper Clutha resident has been named among the winners of Recreation Aotearoa’s 2021 Outdoor Awards.The Outdoor Awards celebrate and recognise individuals and organisations that have been successful in significantly improving outdoor recreation outcomes for participants and clients. The Supreme Award - given to an individual with mana and outstanding leadership in the outdoor sector - went to Luggate resident Rachel Moore. Rachel thanked the organisation for the award and said receiving it meant “a great deal” to her.“I’m very proud to be part of our outdoor recreation sector,” Rachel said. Recreation Aotearoa CEO Andrew Leslie said Rachel had been a “significant advocate” for the outdoors through her work with organisations including Hillary Outdoors, Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) and the Department of Conservation (DOC) over the past 30 years. “She has helped lead the charge on developing and establishing ground-breaking resources and safety guidelines for the adventure activities sector,” Andrew said.During a nine-year stint at TIA, before her move to DOC, Rachel led work to implement findings from the 2009 government review into safety in the outdoor commercial sector, led the industry to establish the SupportAdventure website and the processes for developing Adventure Safety Guidelines, and was a finalist for the Women of Influence Awards for her work influencing policy and leading change in the adventure tourism sector. The keen tramper and kayaker said she was proud to work in the industry. “It’s a privilege to work and play with so many fantastic people who truly champion Papatūānku, who live life to the full and who strive to connect others with our outdoor places.”Other award recipients included Outward Bound’s ‘Mind Body Soul’ programme, which earned the Outstanding Event/Programme Award; Te Awanui a Rua received the Māori Outcomes Award; and Discover Waitomo received the Environmental Leadership Award.Andrew said New Zealand was lucky to have many outstanding programmes, operators and individuals working hard to create outdoor opportunities. “It’s important for us to recognise these efforts and celebrate the benefits that come with them.”   PHOTO: Supplied

An abstract acrylic painting by Auckland artist Deborah Moss was judged Supreme Winner at the Craigs Aspiring Art Prize in Wānaka on Friday night.Moss’ Glowing Again was awarded the Craigs Investment Partners Prize of $10,000 at the opening night of the 15th annual exhibition at Holy Family Catholic School.The event attracts artists from around New Zealand and has become a nationally recognised art award, offering one of the biggest cash prizes ($16,500 in total) in the country. It is one of the Holy Family Catholic School’s biggest fundraisers, raising between $20,000-$30,000 each year. A record 142 pieces were entered this year. The runner-up award, a $2,000 prize went to Dunedin artist Eliza Glyn for her oil painting Sunrise From Quarantine Island. Best landscape, which was awarded a $2,000 prize, went to Christchurch artist Mehrdad Tahan for his oil painting Serenity; and the best work under $1,000 went to Tauranga artist Ulemj Glamuzina for her mixed media on canvas painting Journey from Tauranga. The round corner category, showcasing paintings on a 40cm diameter round, priced under $1,000, was won by Tuatapere artist Hayley Landreth for her mixed media painting View Across Lake Angelus. Twenty-four artworks were sold on Friday night, to the value of $40,000. The remainder is up for sale until tomorrow (Tuesday January 18), when the exhibition ends. The people’s choice award will also be announced at the end of the exhibition.Judges for this year’s Aspiring Art Prize were Cam McCracken, director of the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, and Jan Warburton, founder of the Jan Warburton Charitable Trust. “We were really impressed with the quality of art that is on display,” Jan said. “There’s something for everyone here – different styles and genres – and great buying opportunities.” The event is organised by Holy Family’s Friends of the School (FOTS). FOTS committee member and Aspiring Art Prize creative director Leigh Cooper says this year’s event is the biggest one to date.“The level of art received by artists, from Auckland to Tuatapere, was extremely high quality. The event continues to grow each year – in size and recognition – and we are very proud to deliver an event, thanks to volunteers in our school community, for the benefit of our school children. PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka resident Ben Suncin is planning to undertake a 12 hour walk to raise funds and awareness for the Otago Brain Injury Association.Ben, who sustained a brain injury in 1999 due to a surgeon error, will walk around Pembroke Park on February 22 from 7am-7pm.The Wānaka App caught up with Ben to discuss his journey following his brain injury.Ben has undergone 19 surgeries over the past decade to try and repair the damage done to the nerves behind his eye.“The surgeon told me I would never walk or talk again. I could hear what they were saying, but I couldn’t respond.There was no way I was accepting that as the answer for the rest of my life,” he said.Ben has retrained himself to speak and walk again.“Most people can get up out of bed and walk with no trouble, but before I can even move, I have to perform exercises to activate my brain otherwise my legs won’t work,” Ben said.The Otago Brain Injury Association has been notable in Ben’s recovery, offering support for accessing government services such as ACC and Work and Income.Liaison officer Cathy Matthews has worked closely with Ben, including providing ongoing communication development.“It takes significant effort for someone with a brain injury to communicate with people effectively,” Cathy said.Despite the long-term challenges, including limited vision and balance issues that Ben continues to experience from his brain injury, he welcomes the challenge that the 12-hour walk will bring.He encourages people to get involved and join him at Pembroke Park to “just walk”.As Ben says: “you’ve gotta use it or you’ll lose it”.People can also donate directly to Ben’s Givealittle page. All the proceeds go directly to the Brain Injury Association of Otago. PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka St John recognised the achievement of a number of its young members at an awards ceremony last Tuesday (December 14) evening.St John’s youth programmes help young people develop first aid, health care, leadership and life skills, with youth members progressing through courses offered by St John’s youth curriculum.The Grand Prior Award, presented in the form of a badge, is the highest St John youth award, and on Tuesday it was awarded to Patrick Hartley. “This is a significant achievement,” divisional manager Tina Simmonds said. “Patrick was also a non-commissioned officer (NCO) within the division and helped sessions for the younger cadets.” Patrick had to complete six compulsory badges and six other badges from the St John curriculum, plus complete 100 hours of service to the community. He will attend a ceremony in 2022 where the governor general will formally present the award. Youth members Tenki Watanabe, Gabriella McKay and Harriet Primmer were presented with super penguin awards. Super penguins (aged six to nine years old) follow a course of badges over a two to three year period including first aid, resourceful penguin, caring penguin, communication, and also St John penguin which covers the history of the Order of St John.The St John youth division programme runs during the school year. It offers the penguin programme (where kids meet once weekly to learn basic first aid and other practical life skills), and the cadet programme (which provides training in first aid and emergency skills and helps develop a sense of responsibility, decision-making and self esteem). Other awards: Wanaka Junior Award 2021 - Harriet McKay Wanaka Intermediate Award 2021 - Oliver Wyeth Wanaka Senior Award 2021 - Nikita Sinclair  Emerald Award - Hinato Watanabe, Isla Ingham, Emma Cartlidge, Harriet McKay. Sapphire Award - Holly Ingham  Leadership promotions Cadet Corporal - Holly Ingham, Ben Pell  Cadet Sergeant - Nikita Sinclair, Lily Wilson  Cadet Leader - Maddison Frazer  Find more information about the St John youth programme here or email divisional manager Tina Simmonds on [email protected]. PHOTO: Supplied

Two Wānaka dance students have been accepted for training at the New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD) in Wellington next year.The teens, Isabel Martin (12 years) from Pointe Central and Hunter Cranfield (14 years) from Dance Out Loud, learned recently they would each be attending the school, travelling to Wellington for classes throughout the year.“Students are chosen from all over New Zealand by audition, ensuring those with aptitude can take classes with similarly talented dancers,” Pointe Centrale’s ballet instructor Briony Martin said.The selection process is competitive; the school trains between 25 and 30 ballet dancers in the Level 1-3 scholars programme and accepts between 20 and 25 dancers into the associates programme every year. This year 100 aspiring dancers auditioned for the associates programme alone. Isabel, who began dance classes when she was three-years-old, successfully auditioned for NZSD in 2020 and entered the ‘National Scholars’ programme for classical ballet this year as a level two scholar.  She didn’t have to audition a second time; instead her progress at the school was assessed, and in November she learned she had retained her place in the programme, graduating to level three. She will travel to Wellington twice every school term to train.For Hunter, though, it’s a new experience; he travelled to Christchurch in November to audition and earned a place as a junior associate majoring in contemporary dance.He will travel to Wellington for tuition over four weekends during the year. Briony, a former professional ballerina, said the programmes “provide the best foundation on the path to becoming a professional dancer and for students aspiring to train full-time at the New Zealand School of Dance”. Selection criteria include achievements to date and potential, aptitude, performance quality, musicality and creativity; dancers also need to be both mentally and physically ready and strong enough to manage the training should they be accepted, she said. Dance Out Loud contemporary and jazz class teacher Nina Fischer said attending the NZSD was valuable work experience in a professional environment with like-minded and highly skilled peers. “Wanaka has a lot to offer but we are still a little town with not a lot of competition. Kids are used to train[ing] in a safe environment which is nice but doesn’t push them to the next level. Having a group of talented dancers from around the country in one class will encourage everybody to work a lot harder,” she said.This is not the first time Wānaka dancers have auditioned successfully for NZSD; Zoe Frazer was a Junior Associate in 2019 and Persia Thor-Poet has just graduated from her second Year as a full-time contemporary dance student.PHOTO: Supplied

Covid-19 has damaged our community in a range of ways, including loss of income from tourists, the impact on vaccine mandates on locals, and uncertainty about the future.One group of people significantly affected by the pandemic is a demographic we seldom hear from: those vulnerable to Covid-19 because of having a chronic illness or being immunosuppressed.“You have those people in your community whether you acknowledge them or not,” Southern District Health Board medical officer of health Susan Jack told the Wānaka App.So the Wānaka App sat down with two locals: Sam, who has a chronic illness and Anna, who is an advocate for people with chronic conditions.Their names have been changed to protect their privacy.What’s it like being medically vulnerable in this community?Living in the Upper Clutha, close to four hours away from a base hospital, has plenty of challenges for people dealing with health issues, such as “money, travel, time, anxiety,” Anna said. But another challenge can be being somewhat invisible in this healthy and active community.Anna heard a local describe Covid as being about “survival of the fittest”. “That really got me. That’s coming from a really privileged place of health, and ignorance, in my opinion.”“That’s the ethos of all around here,” Sam said.The two locals said they appreciated a recent meme (‘Am I the only one who thinks that “well did they have comorbidities” is beginning to sound a lot like “but what was she wearing?”’) which refers to the suggestion that people who die from Covid deserved it.“You can live quite a long time with underlying factors,” Sam said. They agreed there are more vulnerable people in this community than people may realise, including people managing chronic illnesses, children on various medications, and the elderly.Anna said locals “talk so much about community... but people don’t know who’s in their community.”Government messaging about vaccination can include phrases like “you might want to visit your parent in hospital”, Sam said, “but what about your brother down the road, or your teenage niece?”“Wherever you read anything about that, it’s always the last little titbit at the end - the tokenistic ‘oh by the way you might want to look after the ill and vulnerable, maybe’,” Anna said.What’s it like watching the pandemic develop?Anna said she and her family have been okay until recently, but December 15 (when Aucklanders are free to move around the country) is looming.“I’m under no illusions; Covid is arriving on a plane on the 15th of December. I think we’re crazy to not be realists about that,” she said. Anna asked a medical specialist about the novel coronavirus in December 2019.“He said ‘put it this way, if it arrives in New Zealand people will be dying in their homes’. And that’s already happened in Auckland,” she said.“My main concern is a hospital bed for the people who really really need it, because they’re just not there. I think we’ve got one Covid bed in Queenstown.”How will your life change when Covid is in this community?Sam said he has reduced his usually frequent trips into Wānaka to just once a week. He hasn’t travelled out of Wānaka since Covid reached New Zealand, apart from trips to Dunedin for hospital appointments.“I’m making home my happy place and I’m not going far,” he said.Sam said he hasn’t gone to his GP for a Covid plan because he’s found it hard to get appointments since the pandemic. But he definitely does not want to be at home alone with Covid.Anna said her anxiety is so big she can’t even picture it. “I know how pushed the hospitals are at the minute, without having Covid down here, so when it does arrive I am genuinely worried for the doctors and nurses for their wellbeing and how they are going to cope,” she said, adding that doctors and nurses overseas had to hold up their phones to people who were dying so their families could say their last goodbyes.What do you think of the vaccine mandates?Sam has had three vaccinations, Anna is double vaccinated and both will get booster shots as soon as they are eligible.Anna is frustrated with opposition to the vaccine mandates, asking who has a better alternative?“Everybody hands up: What’s your best idea? How else are we going to manage it? What’s a better way?” But she also thinks rapid antigen testing should be available now.“It should be free now to everybody, not just the vaxxed.”Sam is “kind of anti the mandates” because he believes they create “an us and them culture”.  “Some people with the passport are going to feel entitled to tell people without the passport that they are wrong for thinking the way they do without actually knowing their reasons for not having a passport.”He’s also concerned that some people with the passport will think that’s all they need to be safe. “There are going to be situations where passport and non passport holders meet, such as in supermarkets. I can imagine situations where that gets hostile and I’m not sure how the staff in these stores will cope with policing those situations. Vaccinated or not, we are going to come into contact with each other.”Both Sam and Anna emphasised that the vaccine passport “does not make you bulletproof”, as vaccinated people can still catch and transmit the virus (although at lower levels than the unvaccinated).“We all still need to be careful, vaccinated or not. [The government] is selling it like it’s some golden ticket, but it’s not,” Sam said.Local businesses who say they will not discriminate against unvaccinated people under the new traffic light system are failing to acknowledge the mandates are intended to reduce the spread of the virus and protect vulnerable people. “It comes across as really insensitive. And I do feel like some people and businesses are using it as a bit of a badge of honour,” Anna said.“There’s this double standard that people have and it’s really worrying me. Someone I know locally bought their teenager drugs for their birthday and did them with them and thought it was so amazing, but they are savagely against the vaccine,” she said.“We have been so fortunate in New Zealand up to now. This government inherited a legacy of many long term problems and I believe they have done the best they can in most cases. ICU beds have been increased in well populated areas. Let’s hope it's enough.”PHOTO: Wānaka App