Newsletter

Greetings to you all and wishing you the compliments of the season.

It is hard to realize that the year has gone so fast since the last Newsletter.

It has not been a busy year as people have been away. John has gone up North for a while & one of our helpers has left the Island . Also we had the sad news of the passing of Ken Vail who helped us in different ways, doing up the cottages and manning the gate when we had open days.

We had an open day in January as well as the Water stop for the Wharf to wharf race. It was a good day with Hugh Richards engines, and the popular sewing machine, & butter making.

The Police Cells are still on the agenda for a repaint and repairs to the outside. The type of cladding is posing a problem though.

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There is a Heritage Garden project is in abeyance in the meantime but new signage has been done for the cottages.

New steps have been added to the cottages as well as railing for the ramp on Keane cottage.

We have just recently acquired a shell collection which is on display. The tool display is still planned for the future.

We were closed some days over the winter at weekends with people being away or ill. We do need more help some weekends. If anyone is willing we would initiate them into the duties so we have a back up for times like this.

We have had school visits as well as groups coming from town when we open up for them. The school from Green Bay have been back again this year. There have also been visits from descendants of some of the early families on the Island from as far away as Sydney and another is coming in March from NSW.

We have also been a resource for a young lady who was doing an assignment on the schools on Waiheke and I have heard that she got an A & she will be handing it on to us.

The cottages except for Goodwin cottage have been painted The paint has been donated to us by Wattyl & Placemakers.

This is a reminder that Memberships are due in January 2011. $15 Membership.

We will be doing the Wharf to Wharf race again in January where we will have a water stop. Help with this would be appreciated.

We are also arranging with the New Hope shop to do a Sunday where we will get the proceeds of what we sell on the day. We are hoping to do it once a month and would appreciate help with it.

We will be having an open day but later than we usually do and it will be advertised. We will need baking etc for this as well as help with various other things.

Any help with these things would be greatly appreciated.

Membership due in January.

The Committee Wish you all a Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year.

Judith Phillips Minutes Secretary