Did You Know.....

Support our lifeguards
Volunteer and paid lifeguards will be on duty daily over the holi-day season, patrolling the beach and ensuring the safest areas to swim are flagged. The message, as always, is SWIM BETWEEN THE FLAGS. December 28 is the Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service annual door knock collection, so have a donation ready as lifeguards 'beat the feet' in and around Mangawhai.

Learn to surf
Aotearoa Surf School at Mangawhai and Te Arai provide lessons from highly experienced, qualified coaches and lifeguards. From begin-ner to advanced, it's a great way to enjoy the surfing experience, and a gift voucher would make a fabulous present! Boards and wetsuits available for hire. Phone (09) 431 5760, or 0272 507 906, or check out the website aotearoasurfschool.co.nz.

Beach shuttle daily
Parking out at the surf beach is limited, so why not avoid frustra-tion (and a hot car) by taking advantage of Leabourn's Shops-to-the-Sand Shuttle Bus operating daily from December 27. On the hour leaving from the school, pick up at points en route to the Heads beach, and returning from the beach on the half hour. Cost $2 per trip, 5-14yrs $1 and under 5yrs free.

How good is that?

New museum visit a must
Been through the new museum yet? Open daily from 9am through to 4pm, it showcases the story of Mangawhai in a series of displays that will draw you back again and again. The Big Dig cinema (with tractor seating) shows a very informative documentary featuring many well-known local folk. Just loved the last clip, after the credits roll, when Jim Wintle makes a final com-ment – make sure you watch carefully! The cafe and museum shop are also open for busi-ness, so you can make a real day of it. Seniors and students $6, adults $12, children under 10 just $3, families with up to 4 children $20, and groups of 10 or more $6. Christmas Day and Boxing Day will see the museum closed, open again daily from December 27.
 

MAZ grant confirmed
On other parts of Man-gawhai Park the activity continues. A substantial grant from the Lotter-ies Commission to the Mangawhai Activity Zone Charitable Trust (MAZ) has just been confirmed, and spokes-person Colin Gallagher says this will allow them to build a multisport court and continue with planned works on the skateboard streetscape. A platform for the flying fox is under-way, along with the installation of security cameras and water connection. MAZ has a staged plan for completion of the activity zone, as as you can read on the big sign – $500,000 is required to makes the area simply amazing! That's a big fundrais-ing challenge, but I'm sure that as a com-munity, we will be able to achieve it. Contact Colin Gallagher if you can assist in any way at all: 4314 598 or 021 955 850. "Let's make it happen."

St John build progressing
It has happened for St John and the new am-bulance station. Bit of a hold up with building materials at this time of year, but progress is evident. Acting sta-tion manager Kay Carey says that May/ June 2015 looks likely for completion. And the St John Op Shop keeps on bringing in the funds, thanks to the 'bring and buy' support from the community. Quite a few say a visit to the Op Shop is like going to the mall because you can find just about everything there. Yes, there's a very good stainless steel sink bench for sale – or there was last week!

Paddocks of pink
Those pink wrapped silage/haylage bales spotted in many pad-docks are indeed farmers showing their support for breast cancer awareness. A fundraiser for Sweet Louise (Louise Perkins Foundation) which supports women with secondary breast cancer, the pink wrappers from suppliers AgPak cost a little more but farmers throughout the country have embraced the initiative.

Bowls day holiday highlight Lots of big events over the holiday season (check out the What's On column) including the fun Non-Bowlers Day on Sunday December 28. Hosted by the Mangawhai Club, it is certainly one of the highlights of the year. Teams of four of any combination, maximum of one regular bowler per team who must bowl first. All bowls supplied, and you must wear flat shoes. Good prizes, and lots of fun guaranteed. Contact Neville Franks on (09) 431 4394 for more information, or The Club on the actual day 431 5085.

Art by The Originals
The Originals Art Show will be open 10am-4pm on January 2&3 in the Senior Citizens Hall in Fagan Place (off Wood St), Mangawhai. This group of artists has been painting togther for over 12 years, and after every exhibition donate a percentage of the sales to a local organisation. There is a great variety of work for sale, together with cards and other gifts. Well worth a look.
 

Funky bumpers
The personalised plate challenge fom the last issue proved too hard. Focus editor Rob Poo-ley knew IN OFF was correctly billiards relat-ed, so he will receive a free subscription to the Mangawhai Focus! The other plate, 35F 2D, is all about a New Zealand wool type which was once the most common in the North Island: 35 is the micron, F is fleece, 2 refers to the colour, D the length. The plate belonged to someone in the wool industry. Best attempt came from Clive in Auckland: 35-year-old female with a double D cup!

Bird report from Sioux
As a result of the weather that has been lashing Mangawhai, all the birds endeav-ouring to breed on the sandspit have been adversely effected to some degree. Roll on the real summer. To all of you who will be enjoying the sand spit this season, please, NO DOGS. Please respect the fenced off areas as there are breeding birds in there somewhere. If anyone has spare time one day a week to assist the volunteers monitoring the birds, please contact Jane Vaughan 431 5828.

Service with a smile
All I wanted for Christ-mas was my two front teeth, and thanks to Warren Bell of Mangawhai Dental I now have a superb bridge of four. Couldn't be more pleased, both with the teeth and the cost. Re-inforces my belief that it pays to use the great local services we now have in our community, adding to its strength. Mangawhai Dental is closed over Christmas and will reopen on Monday January 19.

Post-Christmas Pilates
Mangawhai Pilates with Mary officially closes for a wee break over Christmas and New Year, but she will be available for anyone who wants a class. On Monday December 29 at 9am there will be a post-Christmas class for those who want to work off Christmas dinner! Everyday general maintenance Monday - Saturday starting from January 5. Bookings essential on 431 4351 or 021 034 8450.

„ News and views to share through this column? Contact Jo

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