Mr Paul Steere (Central Convenor of Red Cross New Zealand) Margaret Rankine (centre with medal) Rotary Club of Pencarrow President Kathy Gruschow
Margaret Rankine has been awarded the 2009 Paul Harris Fellowship award for her community work in the Eastern Bays. A Redcross and Civil Defence servant to community for more than 50 years, the 80 year old was honoured this month by the Rotary Club of Pencarrow. The award came as a surprise to Margaret, who had been asked to speak to Rotary members about civil defence activities in the region. Instead, she was award the Paul Harris award for her services to the community. ?It was quite a shock to me. I was caught completely unawares. I thought I was there to speak to the members about the civil defence and Redcross activities taking place. I had no idea.? I was more than 40 years ago when Margaret decided to dedicate her life to developing support services for the people in her community. ?It was during the Wahine disaster of 1968. Our house suffered major structural damage. We were completely cut-off in the Eastern Bay. My husband and I had a young family. It was a difficult time.? ?I decided we needed civil defence capabilities here. There was a response unit along in the Hutt, but not here in the bays. Ten days after the Wahine sunk, I started taking action.? Margaret set about sourcing funding from council to create civil defence posts in the region. She recruited community members to become civil defence wardens, collected clothing and first aid supplies and radio transmitter for the emergency kits. ?Eight women from the community came together and we developed a clothing mandate to ensure if a disaster happened again, there was suitable clothing for people to wrap up in.? Margaret stressed the need for fresh blood to enter the civil defence and Redcross services. ?I?m 80 years old. We need the younger generations to get involved now. Young couples who live in the region, they may have kids who catch the ferry to school. I want to encourage people to consider what they might be able to offer to their communities.
