I can’t help noticing Spring has sprung at our place. The other day I was looking around, but not actually working in my garden. In fact I was admiring the first crop of roses this season when I heard some rather raucous squawking close by.
Upon further investigation what I saw was really heart-warming. A baby blackbird had fallen out of its nest and its parents were taking turns feeding it on the ground. I now see a bigger, but not fully grown bird which I think is that hapless baby. I surely hope so.
We are also the proud owners of a dozen newish lambs and although I have heard it said that these are animals of very little brain I must wonder.
We have a fence between their paddock and our house garden and they managed to break through this barrier and were happily trotting down the driveway when we discovered them and returned them to their place of residence.
However, later I was looking out the kitchen window and I noticed the lambs all gathered around the repaired fence.
They had earlier broken through it by unhooking the wire from its nails and here they were again jumping up and rubbing their hooves over the wire to dislodge it from its fastenings. It was all to no avail though- the repair job is still holding.
Anyway, on to Grey Power highlights – the national lobby team is off to meet with decision makers in Wellington at the end of the month and hurrah we have finally secured a meeting with the Minister of Health.
We also hope to visit the Minister of Seniors, Opposition spokespeople, the Director of the Office of Seniors, the Green’s Seniors’ spokesperson, the Aged Care Commissioner, Age Concern, Aged Care Association, the Retirement Commissioner, and several other decision-makers.
A full report for members will be available after these visits.
Membership needs
To end the year, and as a Christmas present for Grey Power may I ask that you all consider ways to increase Grey Power membership.
Invite a friend to accompany you to an association meeting, give a year’s membership subscription as a Christmas or birthday gift, or offer to assist your local association committee.
We have lost members, some obviously through natural attrition, but over the last several years Covid and the loss of cheques, which make it difficult for some to pay their membership subscriptions, hasn’t helped.
Some ideas are to invite a friend to accompany you to an association meeting, to give a year’s membership subscription as a Christmas or birthday gift to friends or family and to offer to assist your local association committee.
If you have other good ideas to increase our membership, please let me know at jan.pentecost@gmail.com or write to the Federation Office, PO Box 2721719, Papakura 2244.
Before I finish, I want to thank the resigning Federation acting secretary, Ross Fallen, for all his work and wish him all the very best in his new career.
May I also sincerely thank all of you who spend endless hours helping older people, your efforts are absolutely appreciated by us all.
I, and the Federation board wish you all Ngā mihi o te Kirihimete me TeTau Hou – A Merry Christmas and happy New Year, and I look forward to hearing your ideas, stories and concerns in 2023.
Congratulations
The Grey Power Federation congratulates those of our members who were elected to local councils or other local authorities in the recent local body elections.
We look forward to the concerns of older people appearing on council meeting agendas across the country.
My Christmas wish for you, my Grey Power friends
Is not a simple one
For I wish you hope and joy and peace
Days filled with warmth and sun
I wish you love and friendship too
Throughout the coming year
Lots of laughter and happiness
To fill your world with cheer
May you count your blessings, one by one
And when totalled by the lot
May you find all you’ve been given
To be more than what you sought
May your journeys be short, your burdens light
May your spirit never grow old
May all your clouds have silver linings
And your rainbows pots of gold
I wish this all and so much more
May all your dreams come true
May you have a Merry Christmas
Grey Power friends
And a happy New Year too.
(My interpretation of a poem by Ruth Kephart)
