Mandy Kimber » Recent events

role models

Mandy — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:57:55 +0000

Last Friday I attended a role model assembly at Riverslea School. Riverslea is a primary school in Hastings that is involved in the Books in Homes scheme set up many years ago by my old neighbour Alan Duff. Role model assemblies are held for the students at school to hear from others who have worked hard and accomplished in their lives. The role models last Friday were Adam, head boy and Jordan, deputy head girl at Karamu High School, right next door to Riverslea.

Adam and Jordan-Karamu role models

Adam is a Hawkes Bay rugby representative, while Jordan is a New Zealand rep in canoe polo. I am involved in grandparent reading at Riverslea, which involves listening to two students read their choice of book every Friday morning. It is an initiative the Rotary Club of Havelock North have been involved with for twelve years, and very worthwhile.

family holiday

Mandy — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:01:11 +0000

Kalani AKA spiderman

Over the July holidays, the engineer and I travelled to Queensland to celebrate my older son Mike’s 30th birthday. We had decided that my two Melbourne-based sons should join us at Mermaid Beach for a few days to celebrate (as Melbourne would be too cold at this time of the year!) My grandson Kalani turned five the next day, so he was “king for the day” choosing how to celebrate. This involved dressing like spiderman! We had a wonderful time all eleven of us.

Mike's birthday tee shirt-photo of him at 18 months!

watching school rugby

Mandy — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 09:11:34 +0000

Last Thursday I watched the first fifteen from my school Colenso, play the local Havelock North High School team, which included our Rotary exchange student Beto on the wing. I did promise Beto I would cheer for him only when he got the ball and ran with it. It was a difficult decision to make, as three of my form class were in the first XV. It was a terrible day, weather wise and all the players were covered in mud

Beto covered in mud playing Colenso

. The final result favoured Colenso, but

Beto had a few great runs up the sideline.

duffy books and dictionaries

Mandy — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 07:52:23 +0000

Today I went to my first Duffy Books in Homes assembly at Riverslea school. I have been a participant in grandparent reading at Riverslea School since the beginning of the year. I am able to do this as I don’t start teaching on Fridays until noon. Grandparent reading is a Havelock North Rotary project that the club has been doing for over eleven years. Six regulars turn up each Friday morning and listen to students reading, as grandparents. Last year, Rotary New Zealand began their “dictionary project”, funding dictionaries annually to Year 6 students leaving school to go to their respective intermediate schools.

Fairlane signing her dictionary

Riverslea, Lucknow and Waimarama are the schools our club cares for and give dictionaries to this year. Last year, Lucknow and Riverslea students received dictionaries. This morning, after we presented the dictionaries, selected students are awarded their books, courtesy of the Duffy Books in Homes Trust. These assemblies happen three times a year, with Rotarians attending.

The engineer presenting a book

Celebrating birthdays

Mandy — Mon, 31 May 2010 09:15:10 +0000

Last weekend, the engineer and I drove 5 hours to New Plymouth to help celebrate a significant birthday of my old university friend, Gillian. She had orginally decided to ignore the birthday and do nothing, against all her friends’ advice. However, once we told her we were making the trip, she and partner, Reeve made rapid plans and organised a catered dinner for 20. We had a great time, cuminating in a few speeches and toasts!

Toasting Gillian on her big birthday!