Project driver Stella Schmid
Up until now local resident MAVIS TAKIMOANA has been accommodating up to 18 tamariki in her home on rainy days while they waited for the school bus to arrive. Project driver STELLA SCHMID got word of this and with the permission of Mavis and her brother Timmy, along with the backing from FOCUS PAIHIA, arranged for a bus shelter to be built on the front yard of the Takimoana’s property. Local resident and builder CHRIS BRITTAIN kindly offered to volunteer his time and talents to guide the building of this project.
A strong team made up of our community gathered together on the weekend of 5 and 6 May to start building the much-needed bus shelter. There was a strong feeling of kotahitanga (unity) in the air, and the foundations and framing for the shelter were soon completed.
Huge thanks to the following people for coming along and chipping in…and also to those who could not make it due to other commitments but wanted to be there:
CHRIS BRITTAIN & HIS TEAM, MIRA KAKE, TIMMY TAKIMOANA, GAYLENE PETERS, MAVIS TAKIMOANA, FATMAN APIATA, MELISSA MCKIBBIN, TAINUI & DEBS APIATA, WAIRUA TAKIMOANA-KERE, ANA RAMEKA, RICHARD TAKIMOANA, IBANEZ WHAREMATE-TAKIMOANA, TIFFANY HOLLAND, THEA HOLLAND, MARTIN SCHMID, STELLA SCHMID, CRAIG SALMON, BRAD WINDUST, MILLER KAKE-WINDUST, HAMA APIATA, TANA APIATA, JACQUI APIATA, AISHA APIATA GRAHAM BAKER, JOSH SHOTTER, BILL & NINA, THE TOHU WHANAU, HENRY & CHARMAINE TAKIMOANA, KHARLAMIO APIATA, VICKY SAUNDERS, HEPA WAIOMIO, MORI & ROHARIO RAPANA, ARAMA, DAVIS, NGAIRE APIATA and all the children that came to support their parents.
Also, a huge thank you to our local businesses who supported the building of this shelter by donating items: BAY OF ISLANDS ITM, PAIHIA PHARMACY, WAITANGI COUNTDOWN, PAIHIA FOUR SQUARE, PAIHIA DIVE, GREENS RESTAURANT, PAIHIA MEDICAL CENTRE, SEAHORSE SOUVENIRS, CLASSIQUE SOUVENIRS, WAITANGI NATIONAL TRUST, NORTHLAND KAURI OROMAHOE, PUKETONA QUARRY, COASTAL KAYAKERS and WAITANGI TE TII B3 TRUST.
This bus shelter was designed by STELLA SCHMID with the help from ANDY and the team at BAY OF ISLANDS ITM and has been dedicated to and named after, TE KAHA ME TE KORORIA who recently passed away. She was the granddaughter of MAVIS TAKIMOANA and HENRY and CHARMAINE TAKIMOANA Noreira e te taonga, kia au to moe (Rest in silence our treasured one).
Mavis and her brother Timmy have gifted the piece of land that the bus shelter has been built on in memory of their parents TIMMY & DIANA TAKIMOANA. May you always shine down on all the tamariki that use this shelter.