Did you know........

All ages enjoying activity zone
Well worth taking a walk in and around the Mangawhai Activity Zone (MAZ). Tree planting over  previous years is really starting to look established, there are bike and walking trails, grassed areas, and of course, all the activity zones. If you are a bit intimidated by the top class skate bowls, options abound with extra concrete areas surrounding, and the big court with personalised jumps! Spotted the younger ones using their scooters to their advantage there, along with toddlers on swings and play equipment.

MAZ Trust succeeded in purchasing a set of playground challenges from Sylvia Park in Auckland, which is now in storage in Mangawhai. Boxing is complete, with the pad being put down and the colourful equipment set up when weather and volunteers coincide!

It is very much a family friendly place, rubbish bins a-plenty (some people are obviously too thoughtless to use them) and very much deserves your support and volunteer input. Check out the website, www.mangawhaiactivityzone.co.nz for the next working bee or event.

Cast your donation vote
Looking through show homes is a popular activity for lots of different reasons, but Westmoreland Homes have added an extra incentive. They plan to donate $1000 to one of three community groups: Mangawhai Volunteer Lifeguard Service, Tomarata Rugby Football Club, or Mangawhai St John Ambulance. The thing is, you can cast a vote for one of these groups simply by visiting the showhome at 7 Molesworth Drive. At the end of August, the organisation with the most votes will receive $1000. Pop in and cast your vote before you forget.

And if you are building or buying, or simply just plain nosey, you'll find the show home will give you lots of ideas. It's a large, spacious home, and Westmoreland have loads more plans and options you are free to discuss with them.
 

Have you got what it takes? Do you think you have the skills to become a Northland regional councillor? Graeme Ramsey currently represents the Kaipara area, but the upcoming election in October brings a new configuration of representation. Mangawhai is to be part of Coastal South constituency which includes Kaiwaka, Waipu and Maungakaramea. On Monday, July 1 at the Mangawhai Club, from 6-8pm, Regional Council staff will be holding a non-politcal meeting aimed specifically at those interested in representing the area around the regional council table. They will be able to provide you with lots of information. Pre-registratiion is not required, and any member of the public is most welcome to attend.

Go granny go!
Tui Wilson didn't want any fuss made over her 80th birthday, although she did plan on going to Whangarei instead of heading down the the Op Shop as usual to carry on her voluntary task of sorting clothes. But the family had secretly determined to make one of her wishes come true. Can you imagine her surprise when a Harley-Davidson and rider turned up! He took her through Langs and Waipu, over the Brynderwyns, and back via Kaiwaka to Mangawhai. "Only two complaints," reported Tui. “Too many cars ahead of us, and he didn't go fast enough!"

Wind bomb hits park
Busy preparing this column last Tuesday afternoon while the rain poured down, only to get a call from Murray Fell who lives in the Mangawhai Park complex in the villlage. A mini tornado had cut through part of the property, tossing outdoor furniture into the pool, up-ending a heavy barbeque into a garden bed, and a wooden picnic table was uplifted and landed on the driveway. Then the wind hit Murray's house, damaging the verandah roof, sucking in a window and breaking the venetian blind, and of course, the sun umbrella, pot plants, and canvas shelter torn about. Very localised indeed, and fortunate that no one was outside.

Remember Rawleighs?
Are you old enough to remember the travelling Rawleigh's Man? Most can recall having at least a tin of the ointment used for everything! Rawleigh's products are still available and you can go online at www.rawleighs.info, but there is a local distributor based in Warkworth. Pat Riley is only too pleased to supply you with products of your choice and can arrange a collection point. Phone him on 425 8851.

Invest in your health
You might need some Rawleigh's muscle rub after your first session at the Mangawhai Fitness Centre but a membership to the gym pays dividends in the long term. Equipment is upgraded regularly, access is available 24/7, and you can engage a personal trainer or fitness programme. Call in to Bammas and apply now, just $140 a year, which is exceptional value for money, all thanks to the Mangawhai Community Trust.

Bird report from Sioux
The birds appear to be preparing already for their big spring ‘do'. Kingfishers, silvereyes/waxeyes, NZ dotterels, even the tuis, are looking very smart and it is worth taking time to stop and watch them for a moment as they do look impressive in their best outfits. I have just had a rosella in one of my most lichen covered trees, collecting up as much as it could carry and flying off to places unknown with it.

Nominations needed for citizens awards
Is there someone you know whom you believe is worthy of a Kaipara Citizens Award? Since 2001, three awards have been presented annually and now there are 36 names on the honours boards in the Kaipara District Council foyer in Dargaville.
Commissioner Colin Dale says: "These awards are one small way in which we can recognise some and show all volunteers that we really appreciate their contribution. So please think of someone and put in a nomination."
Forms are available from the Mangawhai office and nominations can be made until July 15. The awards will be presented in August.
 

 
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Ever wondered what happens to bottles and glass you off-load at MPL for recycling? Last year, MPL sent 35.62 tons of glass for recycling at the O-I (Owens Illinois) plant in Auckland where the coloured-graded glass is crushed to its original elements, incorporated with new materials, and reformed to new bottles.

Glass bottles are able to be almost completely remanufactured after the labels and tops are removed. Green glass is approximately 60 percent of the glass volume that is recycled. The green and clear bottles are reconstituted to the same colour bottles, but blue glass is mixed with brown for remanufacture.

To sell the used bottle glass for reprocessing, quality control is critical, as the tolerance for contaminants - tops, stones, ceramics, mixed colours – is a mere 20 grams per ton. Charge for a reject truckload is $3600.  For this reason, and safety, MPL staff sort and check the glass as it is brought into the depot. Although labour intensive, it is necessary to ensure quality recovery to make a saleable product.

We could all ensure recycling is a viable option if we acted responsibly by removing tops from bottles,  particularly wine bottles, and stopped using beer bottles as ash trays.
 
■ News and views to share through this column?  Contact Jo Roberts 431 4711 or email jo.roberts@xtra.co.nz