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Tairua’s Community Vans
support more than just seniors...
Transport to Most Anywhere
for Most Anyone
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Tairua’s Community Vans await outside the beautiful
Mills Reef Winery grounds in Tauranga.
I f you have ever been suddenly without your vehicle, you know how
the situation can put your life into a tailspin. Somehow between hires
and willing friends, we eek through the inconvenience. However many
people, especially seniors, no longer drive or even own a car. For them,
Tairua’s two Community Vans are a lifeline – not only for transport to
hospital appointments in Thames, Hamilton or Auckland, but for many
other outings as well – shopping, luncheons, meetings and more.
The group responsible for originally creating this valuable service is the
Tairua Care and Friendship Club serving both Tairua and Pauanui. The
very first van came into service in the early 1990s to serve those who are
stranded, wheelchair bound, and otherwise ‘wheel-less’ – thanks to a
few kickoff grants, dozens of cake stalls, garden parties, fundraisers and
lots of dedicated volunteers.
Laurie Franks (shown at right below with fellow driver David Dawson)
has headed up the van project tirelessly for over 15 years, and his roster
of volunteer drivers has grown to 13 with two ten-person shuttle vans
with wheel chair lift. And if the van is not available, or appropriate, he
can even count on drivers to
use their own vehicle. The
Tairua van situation is now
the envy of other Coromandel
communities and Laurie has
often been asked to advise
other communities how to
set up a similar service. He
is actively involved as both
organiser and driver.
“We want to remind people
that these vans are here for the community’s use,” states Laurie. Feel
free to ring him if you or your group needs transport anywhere within
a 2 hour radius and he will do his best to help. I took advantage of the
service myself when travelling back and forth to hospital in Hamilton.
Their door-to-door service was a godsend. Yes, there was a donation
involved, but it is well worth it.
Laurie points out that although the vans do have regularly scheduled
contracted hospital runs and senior activities, transport can be arranged
most times (day or night) for use by individuals or groups for weddings,
sporting events, shows and concerts, hot pool trips to Miranda and The
Lost Spring, or even a fun dinner at Puka Park Resort.
And just a reminder, that the Friendship Club and local Cancer Groups
also provide other wheels free of charge. Ask about loans of wheelchairs,
mobility scooters, walkers, beds and other aids. For equipment info ring
Betty at 07 864 7940 or Laurie at 07 864 9550 for info or booking a van.
Above: Laurie
Franks (right)
with one of his 13
volunteer drivers,
David Dawson
(left), enjoy a
break at Mills Reef
Winery before
heading back to
Tairua.
Left, vans deliver
passengers at
Waikato’s Cancer
Centre in Hamilton.
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