Crisis averted.
With seemingly no one putting up their hand to replace Kirsty Sharpe as Grey Power’s Queenstown president, the branch was in danger of folding.
Now, however, former cop and councillor Chris Blackford’s stepped into the breach, and brought along Sheena Lees and Jillaine Fleming as new secretary and treasurer, respectively.
Blackford, who was shoulder-tapped by Sharpe, says it’d have been a great shame if the branch — part of a national organisation promoting the welfare of the elderly — had folded.
‘‘It’s a worthwhile organisation, it’s a national body that has got the ear of some politicians.’’
He says his aim’s to reinvigorate the local branch, which has about 180 members, including about 25 in Wānaka.
‘‘I don’t want people just to join so they can get cheap power, I want their voices heard at meetings as to what they think the issues are that need to be addressed.’’
He pays credit to Sharpe — ‘‘Kirsty did a great job’’ — and outgoing acting secretary/membership secretary Els Kleinjan and treasurer Les Dawson.
“One of the problems in the Whakatipu, and probably throughout New Zealand, is there’s a dearth of volunteers for various things.”
