The One Mahurangi Emergency Services Dinner had some great speeches! Listen to the Police Area Commander, Matt Laurenson, MP Chris Penk, the NZ Minister of Police Hon Poto Williams, and One Mahurangi’s very own Murray Chapman share their gratitude for our local heroes. Thanks to The Photo Store Warkworth for the original footage.

One Mahurangi Business Association hosted a thank you dinner to acknowledge the hard work from our local emergency services over a very busy summer. We wanted to give a big community thank you to our emergency services, including local Fire departments from Warkworth, Snells Beach, Matakana, Wellsford, and Leigh, as well as local Police, St Johns, Coastguard, and Surf Lifesaving.

The evening included quality food and beverages provided by our region’s finest, and our local heroes were served by community volunteers. It was a great night of celebration and gratitude as we acknowledged that we are Stronger Together!

Listen to More FM Rodney’s Brent Harbour interview Murray Chapman during the event by pressing play above

Read the Mahurangi Matters article about the evening here>

We invited the community to share messages of gratitude for our local, emergency services. Here is what was said:

It was a privilege to put a Notice of Motion on the Order Paper at Parliament stating: “Marja Lubeck to move, That this House congratulate the police, fire, ambulance, coastguard, and surf lifesaving staff and volunteers of Warkworth, Leigh, Snells Beach, and Matakana for their service over the recent summer period and all year round, including in supporting New Zealand’s COVID-19 response, and wish them all the very best for many more years of appreciated service to our rural Kaipara ki Mahurangi communities.”
Marja Lubeck (List MP for Kaipara ki Mahurangi)

Here’s to all our emergency services, first responders, and volunteers – for all the broken nights’ sleep, interrupted dinners, family occasions and days off, and to the spouses, partners and families who have put up with the disappointment of a broken date and waited anxiously for the return of their loved ones – a great big “Cheers” to you all. You deserve this!
Beth Houlbrooke (Deputy Chair, Rodney Local Board)

Thanks guys and gals for all you do for our wonderful community. You are all heroes!
Brenda from Gaby’s

Thank you so much for all the hard work. You’re very much appreciated for all that you do.
Kate Hawken – Travel Manager

Over the last few years I have been helped by, worked with, made friends with a lot of the wonderful people in our local emergency services. In every interaction they have been, without question, kind, caring, compassionate and above all passionate about what they do. We are very blessed to have them in our community.
Brent Harbour

You are all amazing but St Johns wins top place in my heart
Beryl Good-Penn

You all give so freely of your time and provide us with a sense of safety. Thank you everyone.

We have quite a number of current & past employees who are members of the local volunteer Fire Service. As a Company we are very proud of their tireless volunteer work in our community and aware of the sacrifices they make in volunteering their time and energy to help others. We are aware of how much this can impact on their personal and work lives and wish to pass on our gratitude and congratulations for their selfless volunteer work.
Warwick Rhodes Contractors t/a Rhodes for Roads

Queens Birthday 2021 the first responders and St John then Westpac helicopter came to our assistance at my fathers home in Brick Bay as my partner Ken was having a stroke. We are for ever grateful to all who responded that night. You are our heroes and saved his life, because of you he made it to hospital in time for surgery and is now fine, he doesn’t remember any of it but we sure do. To think you are volunteers giving your time and a part of you every time someone needs help – Thank You from the bottom of our hearts.
Julie Penny

Thank you ALL for keeping our community safe – you are all heros in my eyes.
Lori Yau

Where would we be without you?
Rachel & Gareth from The Tahi Bar

We would like to Thank all the above services. Without them our lives wouldn’t be anywhere as near Safe as they are. Knowing these people & services are close on hand, puts our lives at rest. Thank You All for Your Hard Work
van Berkel Family

Thank you for your service in often very trying circumstances.

Honestly you are legends. So thankful for our volunteers at Fenz. Thank you xx
Lisa and Nod Hay

As you can well imagine, a retirement village has more than its fair share of emergency callouts. We have regular visits from St John ambulance, often multiple times a day. The care and empathy shown to our residents by the paramedics is always exceptional. The communication by the call centre staff is amazing and they manage to keep residents (and staff) calm while waiting for the ambulance to turn up to look after them. Just knowing that the emergency services are available and close by is comforting for all our residents so from us all at Summerset Falls – a huge thank you for everything you do for us.
Summerset Falls Retirement Village

Whenever the sirens go (in summer 3+ times a day) we think of all the wonderful people responding to whatever emergency they’ve been called out to. And living in such a wonderful spot with so much coastline, we’re grateful to all the volunteers who keep us safe. You are all so appreciated! Thank you!
O’Neill Family

Thank you for always being there for our community – from all the Crew at Debtfix
Christine Liggins

They do an absolutely wonderful job trying to keep us safe on the water. Many thank you’s.
Ruth

Nga mihi nui to all local emergency services over covid and at all times in our community. Really happy to support you by playing with Dianne Morgan and the Jade River Ukes at your dinner. Kia kaha! Arohanui, the Riff Queen xx
The Riff Queen