A community response to the plight of deer farmers in cyclone-hit Hawkes Bay has meant local fencers will fly north to help, complete with their own meals for five days.Wānaka’s Mandy Bell, chair of the Deer Industry NZ, put out the call last Friday (February 24) for people to supply food for fencers heading north, to ensure the visitor would not impose on the already stretched host community.Bex Sarginson of Food For Love had been watching the devastation wrought by the cyclone on TV news and leapt at the chance to help.Within 48 hours, 15 volunteers (new to Food for Love) prepared meals for five days. “What an amazing community we live in - just incredible,” Mandy told the Wānaka App.Mandy Bell PHOTO: Deer NZLast week and this week are two of the most crucial weeks of the deer farmer’s calendar, she explained.Young deer are being weaned, then the stags are back out for mating.However the slips caused by Cyclone Gabrielle have meant many boundary fences in Hawkes Bay are not secure, and farmers are losing stock.“If we don’t help in the next few weeks to get animals in, that’s their next year’s income [gone],” Mandy said.“They don’t like to ask for help, but they’re exhausted.”The Deer Farmers’ Association is coordinating help by volunteers on the ground in a push to have emergency repairs to boundary fences within the next two weeks. Any local volunteers who have experience in fencing and would like to help should contact the main coordinator in Hawkes Bay ([email protected]).Mandy said another option for people to help is to ‘fund the fencers’ by donating money to support the fencers who are taking time off work to help.The first four Wānaka volunteers will head north this week, and Food for Love’s meals have already been flown up.“I want to say a huge ‘thanks’ to Food for Love,” Mandy said.Food for Love coordinator Bex Sarginson told the Wānaka App: “We can’t do it without our community.”“People jump at the chance to help - as long as they know the story,” she said.“For some people it’s the only way they can help.”Fifteen people prepared baking and convenient ‘heat and eat’ meals which will make the visiting volunteers independent of their hosts. The meals were delivered to Food for Love by Monday morning.“We have Edgewater doing lasagnas for next week,” Bex added.She is looking for any businesses which are happy to supply a ‘heat and eat’ meal for five men.The group is also looking for more volunteers to cook: “The more the merrier, if we’ve got another three weeks to go.”Food For Love always welcomes cash donations to “keep the ball rolling”, she said.

Southburn-based farmer Miles Anderson has been selected by local party members as the National Party candidate in Waitaki for the 2023 general election. Waitaki is the Upper Clutha’s electorate and it is also the third largest in the country, encompassing Wānaka, Cromwell, the Maniototo, the Mackenzie Country and North Otago.Miles’ selection follows the announcement that the current National MP for Waitaki, Jacqui Dean, will retire at the 2023 election after 14 years as the electorate's parliamentary representative.See also: ‘Long-serving Waitaki MP announces retirement’Miles said it was an honour to be selected as the local candidate.“I’m standing as National’s candidate because only National can strengthen our economy so we can reduce the cost of living, lift incomes, build the infrastructure we need and deliver health and education services which focus on outcomes, not bureaucracy,” he said.Miles has been a farmer for more than 20 years and has served on the Federated Farmers board and as chair of its Meat & Wool Industry Group. “As a farmer, I will always be a strong advocate for our primary sector.”He said he plans to hit the ground running.“I’ll be getting to work straight away to meet as many people as I can across the electorate to campaign for a National Government.”The Waitaki electorate was represented by Labour (Jim Sutton) in the mid 1980s. Aside from that, it has been a blue seat since 1938.The 2023 General Election will be held on Saturday October 14.PHOTO: Supplied

Self confessed wasp crusader and Mount Iron resident Mary-Lousie (M-L) Schroder is on a mission to eradicate the Upper Clutha of wasps and says the whole community can help.M-L has taken it upon herself, in recent years, to track wasps and kill their nests.“I think wasps are just terrible, they are predators,” M-L said.“The problem we have is that there is nothing that eats them; there is nothing that keeps them down.”M-L said one queen wasp can create a nest with 4,500 wasps and produce 1,000 queens.“Only two percent of queens survive the winter, which you might think is not much, but if you have a nest which producers 4,500 wasps in a season, all out foraging, taking nectar from birds, taking nectar from reptiles etcetera, then you can imagine the damage they do to the environment,” she said.Some simple maths highlights the extent of the problem: one nest produces 1,000 queens and 20 survive the winter to set up nests, which in turn produce 4,500 wasps and 1,000 queens per nest. Mary-Louise says the key is to be assertive when approaching the nest.On those numbers one nest multiples 20 times in one year to produce 90,000 wasps and 20,000 queens.Finding nests is quite easy, M-L said, as wasps fly in a straight line and can be tracked in the evening or morning light.“You can spot them by seeing a continuous line of wasps travelling in a straight line,” she said.“They only travel about 500 metres. The nest is usually quite close.“They are always in a hole, probably about four centimetres in diameter. You can spot it as they get rid of the grass around the edge.”M-L uses ‘No Wasp’ powder to kill the nest: “No dithering, walk forward, put the nozzle in the hole, give it three sprays and walk away.”“You have to be assertive - and don’t get in the way of the flight path. Just watch how they are coming and going,” she said.“If you find a nest just kill it yourself or get someone like me to come and kill it.”This wasp season is not as bad as previous years, which M-L puts down to the public's effort to eradicate nests, as well as weather conditions. She said the cold winter will have killed off more queens than usual and the wet spring made it difficult for those left to establish nests.“If we have a warm winter that is not good as nests can survive the winter,” she said. This Waitangi weekend M-L says she is going to head to John Creek at Lake Hāwea as there are a number of wasp nests there she is keen to destroy.M-L is setting up a website under the banner of Wasp Wasters NZ and said she is happy to be contacted if anyone would like assistance with eradicating wasps. Her number is 027 542 1256.Queenstown Lakes District Council will eradicate pests on council property. They can be contacted here.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Barbara Bridger says she is excited to take on a new role as the Central Lakes Trust chief executive later this year.Since 2014 Barbara has been in the top job at another prominent charity - the Otago Community Trust - and she has a background in the banking and financial services sector.“I am very much looking forward to my new role at CLT and to having the opportunity to better understand the community’s needs and aspirations and to help CLT respond to those needs as it continues to enhance assets and enrich lives within the Central Lakes region,” Barbara said.The CLT is a charitable trust that grants funds for charitable purposes across Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes. Its previous chief executive, Susan Finlay, stepped down in October 2022.CLT chair Linda Robertson said Barbara was appointed as CEO after a recruitment process which began in November and was supported by external advisers.“The board are delighted with this outcome and look forward to Barbara joining the trust in early April,” Linda said.“She brings a wealth of experience in the philanthropic, management and investment space and is already well known to many within the Central Lakes region through her current role.”CLT was bestowed its asset base in 2000 by the Otago Central Electric Power Trust and, in the time since it has grown it from $155M to $467.It provides regular, monthly grants to worthy causes across the region.Many of these grants benefit Wānaka - a recent funding round included $157,500 operational grant to Community Networks Wānaka; $23,144 for Challenge Wānaka’s junior triathlon festival; $5,000 for the Secondary Schools Sports Association; and $42,582 for Mount Aspiring College for the implementation of the Central Otago Principals Association programme.Learn more about CLT here.PHOTO: Supplied

A 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry has been appointed to the position of general manager for the Ignite Wānaka Chamber of Commerce.In an email to chamber members Glenn Peat announced his own appointment saying that he has a “real passion for engaging, networking and creating positive change”.“I believe that I have the experience to contribute positively to the Wānaka business community,” he said.“My excitement towards this role is to assist in engaging, developing our business community through professional leadership and the opportunity to create positive change.”Glenn is currently the group general manager for the Taco Medic restaurant chain and will continue in that role. Prior to moving to Wānaka in 2018 he managed leading brand hotels in China and India.“We are delighted to have someone of Glenn’s calibre take on this role to help the board refine and deliver its strategy to support the local business community,” Ignite Wānaka board chair Jo Learmonth said.“We are excited about our plans for 2023 and look forward to having Glenn become a recognised face within our business community.”The organisation’s general manager role has been vacant since March 2022 when the former general manager Naomi Lindsay resigned to pursue her own business ventures.Glenn said he looks forward to working with the Ignite Wānaka board to provide opportunities for business growth and success, through strong advocacy, training and networking both within and outside of the region.PHOTO: Supplied

The new general manager at Southern Cross Central Lakes Hospital Queenstown, Tim Capill, started in the role late last year.Tim, who began his career as a nurse, came to the hospital from Swedish medical device company Senzime, where he was sales director for the Asia Pacific region. He has experience in healthcare and medical industries, and has held senior leadership positions in New Zealand, Australia, and the Asia Pacific region.“We’re thrilled to have someone of Tim’s calibre take the reins at our very special hospital,” Southern Cross Central Lakes Hospital Queenstown chair Andrew Blair said in a statement to media.“He brings to the hospital team great strengths in commercial and general management and a passion for customer experience and patient care. “I’m confident he will continue to enhance Southern Cross Central Lakes Hospital’s reputation as a provider of quality treatment and patient care.”Read more: New Queenstown hospital improves local access to health careTim said he was excited about the opportunity.“I’m looking forward to working with the team and clinicians to retain the special culture already in place and support the hospital to grow and serve the needs of the region’s residents,” he said. Andrew also acknowledged the dedication of current general manager Judith Kissel, who led the development and opening of the hospital during the past two years.Southern Cross CLT Limited is a 50-50 venture between the Central Lakes Trust and Southern Cross Healthcare Limited. Southern Cross is New Zealand’s largest independent healthcare organisation and Central Lakes Trust is a charitable trust supporting the Central Lakes area by granting funds for charitable purpose. The joint venture forms part of the CLT’s social impact investment portfolio. PHOTO: Supplied

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) property and infrastructure general manager Peter Hansby has died after a short illness.Peter had a 35 year career in engineering and infrastructure, and was described by QLDC acting chief executive Meaghan Miller as “a special colleague and, for many, a true mate”.“Our thoughts and condolences are with Pete’s family at this time,” she said.Peter has been a contractor, a consultant and a client within the infrastructure environment. He held a number of roles with QLDC from 1994 to 2004 including consents engineer and roading engineer. He was a Civil Defence Local Controller and a valued part of the team that responded to the 1999 floods. In 2004 Peter worked for City Care Limited for Christchurch City Council and became the Southern regional general manager. He was appointed emergency response manager for City Care following the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, a period in his career that he recently said prepared him for any future challenge no matter how big. Peter took on a short but critical stint with Aecom as director of the Christchurch re-build in 2013 and started his current role back with QLDC in November 2014 as infrastructure general manager, extending his responsibility to later becoming property and infrastructure general manager.Meaghan said Peter was a tireless campaigner for improving the way people lived, worked, travelled and played in the district and was a key member of the Kā Huanui a Tāhuna Project Alliance Board. “He was an enormously respected and valued member of the QLDC executive leadership team,” she said. “If there is one small comfort we can all take from Pete’s loss it is that his legacy can be seen right around the district in the multitude of projects he was very proud to deliver. He was passionate about his work, passionate about the Queenstown Lakes District and enormously proud of his family.”PHOTO: Supplied

Warbirds Over Wānaka’s (WOW) new event manager has a lifelong connection to aviation. Andrena Davis is a plane junkie, a licensed pilot and regular airshow attendee, making the experienced event manager and photographer a perfect fit for the role.She replaces Mandy Deans, who has retired after 14 years.“Mandy has left big shoes to fill but I’m very excited about taking on the challenge of bringing together a fantastic airshow at Easter 2024,” Andrena said.“I have a passion for getting things done and thrive on seeing an event come together with attendee experience my number one priority.”Andrena’s passion for aviation was first sparked after a ride in her father’s glider as a child.She went on to take flying lessons before gaining her pilot’s licence with the Otago Aero Club.Andrena grew up in Dunedin and spent most of her childhood holidays in Wānaka so she is familiar with the area, WOW general manager Ed Taylor said.More recently she has been based in Wellington and the Wairarapa where she has worked as a professional photographer and in event management, including working on the Wings Over Wairarapa Airshow.Ed Taylor said he was looking forward to having Andrena on board as WOW gears up for its 2024 airshow.The last Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow was in 2018 and both the 2020 and 2022 events were cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. “We are already in the early stages of planning for the next airshow which by all early indications is going to be a huge event,” he said. “By the time Easter 2024 rolls around it will have been a long six years between airshows and we know there is plenty of pent-up demand for our event from around New Zealand and overseas.”The 2018 airshow attracted 55,000 visitors over three days from both New Zealand and overseas and injected around $42M into the regional economy. PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka-based Winter Games NZ CEO Martin (Marty) Toomey has been named to lead the New Zealand team at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.This is the second time Marty has been named Chef de Mission for the Winter Olympic Games having overseen the campaign and team environment at Beijing 2022.“It’s great to be able to feel like you’re representing the country and trying to create an environment that allows athletes to really shine,” Marty told the Wānaka App.“We know they are incredibly capable so it is about creating an environment that makes sure the pressures and the size of the Olympics doesn’t become a burden for them.”Marty said his role will involve a lot of planning, putting the team structure together and recruiting the support team.“This [announcement] is the start of the process,” he said.“It’s really a lot of planning; looking around at all of the different event venues, putting in place the health team and all the support for the team.”The Winter Youth Olympics are in South Korea in 2024 and Marty said he would be taking a close look at that as well as travelling to Milan and Cortina to see how the venues are coming together for the 2026 event.“The more information you can share, they [the athletes] go in forewarned and because of that it allows them to do what they are incredibly good at,” he said.“I love seeing them actually succeed.”Marty said he hopes the 2026 Olympic team will be bigger than the team that attended Beijing with up and coming athletes getting to qualification level and joining a number of seasoned Olympians.New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) CEO Nicki Nicol said Marty is equipped with impressive leadership qualities and has shown he knows how to lead teams at the highest level of sport.The New Zealand Team Chef de Mission champions the needs of athletes inside complex and high-performance Games environments. The role ensures the New Zealand Team promotes athlete mana, wellbeing and performance at all times throughout the Games, NZOC said in a statement.The Milano Cortina Olympic Games will take place February 6-22, 2026, across two cities, Milan and Cortina, in Italy.PHOTO: Supplied

The Gibbston Valley Winery Summer Concert is back for 2023 with a popular Wānaka band joining the international heavy hitters set to perform.The annual summer concert, organised by Greenstone Entertainment, is one of the premiere musical events in Queenstown Lakes with concertgoers and performers travelling from far and wide to attend.Next year’s concert-goers will not only experience “the incredible music of our four international artists, but also the amazing local talent we have right here in New Zealand,” Greenstone Entertainment CEO Amanda Calvert said.Emerging Wānaka Rock Band Powder Chutes will be the opening act for the concert, playing ahead of ZZ Top, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Stone Temple Pilots and The Angels.Powder Chutes’ debut EP, recorded at North Otago’s Studio Sublime with Steve Harrop and Tom Havard, dropped in January 2022 to critical acclaim, and it was streamed 100,000 times within six months of being made public.Band members Archie Orbell (drums), Clarke West (guitar), Henry McConnell (vocals), and Otis Murphy (bass) combine youthful exuberance and riff-driven grunt to create their signature groove-fulled grunge sound.Listen to their music here.Band member Clarke said it was a huge honour to be selected for the Gibbston Valley Winery Summer Concert.“To say we are stoked and thankful for the opportunity is a massive understatement,” he said. “We would definitely have been in the crowd for this concert regardless, so to be chosen as the local support act has got us totally fired up.”Amanda said Greenstone Entertainment has always made an effort to support promising young musicians.“It has been a long-standing tradition of ours to showcase local up and coming talent at our shows, and to give them an opportunity to perform in front of tens of thousands of people which they may not otherwise get the chance to do,” she said.The Gibbston Valley Winery Summer Concert will take place at the eponymous vineyard on February 11, 2023.“We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone along for an awesome afternoon of live music entertainment,” Amanda said.Find more information and book tickets here.A limited number of local tickets are also available from only $159 (plus booking fee) by visiting Gibbston Valley Winery, Queenstown iSITE and Wanaka iSITE, Amanda said.PHOTO: Supplied

A seven-term councillor at the Otago Regional Council (ORC) has been elected as the new chair.Dunedin-based Gretchen Robertson won the role of chair with seven votes, ahead of councillor Kevin Malcolm who received five votes.Gretchen, who has served on the council since 2004, has a degree in ecology and experience in a range of freshwater science roles. She said she is passionate about creating a fair, science-based knowledge foundation which delivers strong environmental bottom lines.The success of the next three years depends on the all ORC councillors banding together, Gretchen said.“I am here, not as an individual, but part of a team,” she said. “Together we are the leaders of the Otago Regional Council to manage environment, resource and transport planning issues for the third largest region in New Zealand by area.”The ORC is responsible for the sustainable management of the Otago region’s natural resources - land, water and air. PHOTO: Wānaka AppLast week’s annual report highlighted the heavy workload ahead for the ORC.It includes the setting of critical policies and rules to protect Otago’s water, land and air, ongoing environmental monitoring to better inform decision-making, and responding to numerous types of environmental incidents. “There will be ongoing pressure to balance the affordability of ORC’s work programmes with continued need for robust frameworks to regulate the use of our natural resources, while also achieving ‘on the ground’ results through operational activities,” ORC interim chief executive Pim Borrem told the councillors at a recent meeting.At the first meeting of the new triennium, Gretchen urged councillors to work together.“We need to be open to new understandings of others, be willing to work together and to have fun.” she said. “This will take time, to focus on relationships, starting with our own team, then extending to key external relationships. “We will only sustain relationships if we are trustworthy and deliver.”Councillor Lloyd McCall was elected as the ORC deputy chair.The ORC is responsible for the sustainable management of the Otago region’s natural resources - land, water and air.

More help is on the way to increase social connection and mental wellbeing support for senior residents in the Upper Clutha. The Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group and the Champion for Older Persons Group have joined forces to bring Wānaka a 12-month programme which supports ‘active ageing’, social participation and healthy lifestyles - and encourages seniors to feel connected and involved in their local community.Community Networks/LINK is one of 10 organisations which makes up the Champions for Older Persons Group and manager Kate Murray said the organisation’s priority group was those aged 65 and older. “Covid-19 has left a significant number of this age group feeling increasingly isolated, lonely, vulnerable, and anxious about venturing out while we have others who are already active in the community but are seeking more opportunities to engage,” she said. Community Networks/LINK manager Kate Murray said Covid-19 has left a significant number of residents over 65 isolated, lonely and vulnerable and the new programme plans to help address this.Funding, which is being provided by Te Hau Hoka, will allow for a broad programme designed to reach as many seniors as possible. “Initiatives are often limited because of financial constraints so with this funding we can better promote existing events and programmes as well as planning some great new events and activities - some in the person's own home, and some out in the community,” Kate said.The funding will support ongoing events like monthly lunches, independent living seminars, and the library’s digital drop-in sessions as well as one-off events like dinner and/or dance events and social outings which can be repeated if successful.  It may also assist with scoping work on a senior-focused “playground” to help older residents maintain fitness and enhance mobility as they age, Kate said. Another area of focus will be on increasing companionship and connection and growing the number of older people being visited, by expanding the home-based connection and support volunteer visiting service and building on other volunteer initiatives including Food for Love, Meals on Wheels, Age Concern, and the library’s ‘My Book Bag’ service. “Our aim is to create more opportunities for personal interaction, connection, enjoyment, learning and fun which will reduce loneliness and isolation,” Kate said. “The net effect will be an improvement in older people's wellbeing, enabling them to stay happily in their own homes and feel connected with their communities.” The Champion for Older Persons Group also includes Age Concern, St John, Aspiring Enliven, Wānaka Medical Centre, Alzheimer’s Society, Volunteering South, Queenstown Lakes District Council and Food for Love. Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group Chair Adell Cox said she was really impressed by the shared vision and collaboration of the Champion for Older Persons Group. “It’s a wonderful initiative to help boost wellbeing opportunities and connections for seniors.” PHOTO: Supplied

Mount Aspiring College Te Kura o Tititea (MAC) principal Nicola Jacobsen says she is proud of the MAC school leavers who received scholarships on Tuesday (October 25) to assist with the costs of higher education. Thirteen MAC students were among 50 students from across the region who received $2,500 each from the Central Lakes Trust for training beyond high school.“At MAC, our aim is to inspire our students to be creative, curious, courageous and compassionate and all of our scholarship recipients exhibit these qualities,” Nicola said. “Among our scholarship recipients we have young people who aspire to study primary education, design communication, engineering, health science, and to enter the defence force.”MAC principal Nicola Jacobsen said she was proud of all the recipients of the CLT scholarships. PHOTO: MACThe MAC recipients included Kimiya Byrne, Will Collins, Toby Davies, Harry Gilbertson, Isla Henderson, Carter Hewson, Lucy Laws, Daisy Orbell, Layton Osnabrugge, Ella Parker, Rory Read, Hayden Watson and Matai Wells.CLT deputy chair Kathy Dedo said the higher education scholarships programme had been running for 16 years, during which 634 young people had been supported.Students from the five high schools in the CLT region were eligible to apply through their school and the selection criteria considered various factors including the applicant’s academic record, all-round qualities and achievements. “Each and every one of them should be applauded for their efforts, they have done exceptionally well,” Kathy said. “There are few better investments we can make in the future success of our community and this region, than to invest in our young people.” Recipients received their scholarships at a special award ceremony held in Cromwell on Tuesday.Nicola thanked the CLT for the financial support to help recipients embark on the next stage of their lives.“We are very grateful to the Central Lakes Trust and all the community organisations and individuals who contribute so much to helping our students fulfil their aspirations, offeringthem opportunities across the full spectrum of activities both in the classroom and beyond,” she said.

After 30 years of organising Wānaka’s Autumn Art School, Robyn van Reenen and Dennis Schwarz are hanging up their clipboards.The long term organisers were at the Mount Aspiring College campus each day last week, coordinating activities at the annual art school, which took place in spring after being postponed because of Covid-19 restrictions.When the Wānaka App attended the school’s open day on Friday (October 14), classes were buzzing with people talking about how much they had learned during the week.“The best thing has been hearing people enthusing about what they’ve learned,” Robyn said.”I’ve loved it, and I’ve made good friends.”Dennis SchwarzThe art school was set up in 1990 by Peter Mitchell, and Robyn and Dennis took over the organisation in 1992.“Robyn makes it all happen - all we have to do is show up,” said artist Laetitia Campe, who took part in the painting with cold wax class this year.Robyn estimates about 4,000 people have been through the school, and about 400 tutors.Some people have attended every year, and their names have become familiar to Robyn even though she may not know what they look like.Patience and diplomacy are required to coordinate the art school, she said. There may have been some occasions in the past 30 years when artistic temperaments have resulted in some drama, but Robyn is far too diplomatic to comment.Robyn with artist Laetitia Campe.Stepping down was bittersweet, she said.“It’s still buzzing away in my head. I’m always looking for potential tutors.”She plans to attend the school next year as a student, having attended classes each year except the first year and this year.“I’ve nearly always done book binding, but there are lots of things I’d like to do.“Painting classes are always popular. You could probably fill the whole school with painting classes.”Dennis said he will miss the “general vibe” of planning the school, but he also plans to attend classes in the future.Long term team member Susan Manson said Dennis’s “can do” attitude has saved the day many times, as has his efficiency with the art school’s accounts.Susan is half of the new organisation team, with Liz Hawker, and they have plans to upgrade the school’s booking system, which was designed in the 1990s, and take “a fresh approach” in general.The art school will continue to be held in autumn, when people are not as busy as they are in spring and when Wānaka’s autumn colours provide inspiration for the arts, especially painting and photography, Dennis said.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Former Cardrona Ski Resort and Treble Cone general manager Bridget Legnavsky has announced she is moving to California (USA) to take up a chief executive role at Sugar Bowl Resort.Bridget has lived in Wānaka for 30 years and is a former chair of Ignite Wānaka, the deputy chair of Mount Aspiring College board, chair of Queenstown District Council’s climate reference group, and is involved in industry transformation planning in the tourism sector.Bridget will move to California with her husband Peter and their children Gustav and Zora.“We all feel really sad about leaving,” Bridget said. “This is how we’ve lived our lives. I’ve been here 30 years, Pete’s been here 20 and the kids only know this place.”The opportunity to experience working in an international setting and stepping up to a CEO role was too much for Bridget to pass up.“It’s a massive step up for me,” she said.“There is a lot of development planned for the resort and leading that in another country will be a real challenge.”Sugar Bowl is the closest resort to San Francisco.Connection to Wānaka will not be lost and Bridget says it will always be home.“We are keeping our home here and Pete will be back to run the training programme at Cardrona in the winter,” she said.Sugar Bowl is an independently owned ski resort in Tahoe, Northern California, and was home to the state’s first chairlift.Sugar Bowl board chair David Tunnell said it was clear Bridget is a born leader and will bring a new perspective to the resort.The Legnavskys leave Wānaka on Thursday October 13.PHOTO: Supplied

New Zealand’s top sustainability organisation has shone a light on three Wānaka-based groups or individuals by naming them as finalists in this year’s awards.Wao co-founder Monique Kelly is a finalist in the ‘sustainability superstar’ category at the Sustainable Business Network’s (SBN) Sustainable Business Awards (SBA).“The SBN awards are the preeminent recognition of action towards a sustainable future by businesses, organisations and non-for-profits in Aotearoa,” Monique told the Wānaka App. “I am really humbled to be selected as a finalist alongside some incredible superstars.”Monique said the news was a surprise to her as her team had submitted a nomination on her behalf.“For myself, I feel like this is premature as there is so much more left to achieve yet. My list of what needs to be done still weighs heavier [than] what's been accomplished so far and I am really conscious that this has been a team effort and not just about one person.”“What I am really proud of is the movement we have helped create, along with others, in mainstreaming sustainable thinking. It's no longer a fringe idea, it's become central to all decision making and planning.”The other Wānaka finalists include WAI Wānaka, a water advocacy group, which is a finalist in the ‘regenerating nature’ category, and Anna Van Riel, who is a finalist for the ‘change maker’ award for her environmental advocacy work as ‘Waste Free Wanda’.SBN chief executive Rachel Brown said all 71 finalists show what is possible in a more sustainable economy.“[They] are all playing a crucial role in actively addressing the urgent issues of our time, including the climate emergency and our nature crisis,” Rachel said. “Our awards have been running for 20 years and continue to prove that our small nation can make a big difference to these challenges.”The winners for all SDA will be announced at a ceremony at the end of November. The ceremony will be held in Auckland and broadcast online.PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka’s Carter Guichard (15) has achieved a New Zealand road cycling first with his selection to a world junior reserve road cycling team.Carter’s selection to the AG2R under 19 team follows an impressive 2022 season where he recorded ten wins in his grade including the national road series CHB tour in Hawkes Bay and stage wins at the Tasman Tour. He also recorded wins and placings in highly competitive races in France during the European summer.“Joining the AG2R under 19 development team is a dream come true for me,” Carter said.“It’s a privilege to be selected, and I need to continue to get results.”The squad Carter is joining forms part of the AG2R-Citroen World Tour team in France.AG2R-Citroen is one of the oldest teams at the highest echelon of pro peloton, with an impressive roster of top level riders, including Tour de France stage winners Ben O’Connor and Bob Jungels, U23 World Champion Benoit Cosnefroy, and Olympic gold medallist Greg Van Avermaet.The junior team has selected 20 riders aged 16 and 17 from around the world, with a mix of French riders alongside overseas riders from Belgium, Norway, Australia - and now one from Wānaka.Carter will continue as a student at Mount Aspiring College in 2022 and race with the New Zealand based Southern Junior Development team under the guidance of AG2R. He will return to race in Europe with AG2R U19 from April to August next year.PHOTO: Supplied

A national campaign to address the disengagement of young women from sport and physical activity is being led by Wānaka local Luciana Garcia.Luciana is the Sport New Zealand women and girls lead and has been involved in developing the campaign’s strategy, creative development, resources, and content.“We have lots of national and international research that tells us during late teen years girls disengage from sport and physical activity at a steeper rate than boys,” Luciana said.“There is lots going on in young women’s lives, and when they find themselves in environments that are stressful, they don’t feel supported or safe and they feel judged for how they look or how good they are, many times they choose to step aside and disengage from this type of activity. “For many young women this is the case with competitive sport or structured ballet or dance classes.”   Luciana said the campaign is focused on encouraging and motivating young women to explore and engage in physical activity in a way that is fun, joyful and meaningful for them.Originally from Uruguay, Luciana moved to Wānaka in October 2021 after 11 years in Invercargill where she held various roles including community sport manager and general manager for regional sport trust Active Southland. She represented Uruguay in synchronised swimming and says sport and active recreation have been a big part of her life. “I completed a Bachelor of Physical Education in Uruguay and then moved to Spain to do a Master of High Performance and Talent Development,” she said. Luciana said the nature of her role means working remotely from Wānaka “works fine”.“I travel to our Wellington and Auckland offices often, but I’m lucky that the team at Snow Sports NZ has welcomed me into their office here in Wānaka as I really enjoy being around people,” she said.Luciana said that the world is very different now for young women than the one she grew up in. “If you are a provider of physical activity [sports club, school, council facility, community organisation, fitness business owner, active recreation provider] take the time to understand the young women you want to work with,” she said.  “Give them an opportunity to lead their own experiences and value what they have to say.  “Think about the environments you create and facilitate, how are they impacting their confidence and self-esteem?” Find out more about the #Itsmymove campaign here. PHOTO: Supplied

Taking life one day at a time has been a helpful approach to dealing with cancer for local man Andrew Thompson, who spoke to the Wānaka App on the eve of the Cancer Society’s annual Daffodil Day appeal.The Wānaka resident was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in February 2020 and bluntly told he would be “dead in a year”.After an emotional evening, Andrew decided: “I’m going to roll with hope, even if there is no hope.”“I said I’ve tried the despair thing. It gives you nothing.”Andrew is an occupational therapist (OT) who works with people with chronic pain and head injuries, so he already knew that mental outlook plays a role in health outcomes.Andrew “We’re taught that what happens to your body just happens to your body. But how we think about our lives can also influence our bodies.”As soon as he was able to undertake voluntary work after his diagnosis, he did. He also got back to his OT work in August 2020.Despite the prognosis for people with pancreatic cancer being around 12 months, Andrew has mostly thrived for the past two and half years. He continues to go snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking and doing things with his kids.The doctor’s told him he’s an outlier - a statistical anomaly.“For some reason or other it’s not happened to me yet,” he said.“The term cancer is such a powerful, emotive word in our society and often has many negative connotations.“I have a few mantras I say to myself to bat it all away. I have a faith in a higher power, a belief that we’re spiritual beings. If you look at research on whether a belief system helps, it does.”Andrew has had “some proper ups and downs” too, including losing about 17kg before having an operation which enabled him to build up some nutrition and start chemotherapy.At the end of September 2020 an important health marker was high and Andrew’s doctor told him: “it’s just a matter of time”. Andrew spent the weekend praying and crying, and the following week his health marker dropped significantly.In April this year he started to lose weight again and has suffered stomach pain. He has gone back into chemotherapy and started to put weight back on.“I refuse to let it dominate my life. Bugger that,” he said.Andrew continues to focus on family, taking care of his usual clients, and voluntary service.“I’m certain I’ve grown from it. I’m more open to other people, less judgemental, more accepting. I listen to my 16-year-old daughter now.“My approach is to lead with hope even when there seems to be none, and this gives me courage and relative peace of mind.”Andrew will be at Mitre 10 today (Friday August 26) from 11.30am to 12.30pm collecting for the Cancer Society Daffodil Day appeal.The Cancer Society helped his wife in the early days, he said, and it offers access to a psychologist or someone to talk to.Andrew has also raised money for the society by taking part in the Relay for Life in March last year; he also jumped out of an airplane in May to fundraise. Donations to the Cancer Society help fund vital research, education and a range of support services for the one in three New Zealanders affected by cancer.You can also donate online.PHOTOS: Supplied