75 Years of St John's in Paeroa

Paeroa Celebrates a Milestone 75 Years

St John Paeroa celebrated the past and planned for the future when St John members gathered in the town this month (November) to celebrate St John’s continuous service to the local community for 75 years.

St John members and supporters came from Auckland, Hamilton, Ngatea, Tauranga, Thames, Waihi, Whitianga and further afield for the chance to catch up with each other and to see how St John and the Paeroa Ambulance Station and Training Centre have progressed over the past 75 years.
Some returning for celebrations on November 14 started as Youth cadets or adult volunteers with St John in Paeroa - and now have a paid or volunteer career with St John in various locations.

Jack Warburton was a Paeroa area committee volunteer during the 1960s and 1970s..He experienced St John from a patient perspective after a cardiac arrest two years ago. Now living in Tauranga, he continues his connection by volunteering as St John Friend of the Emergency Department volunteer at Tauranga Hospital.

The Jubilee weekend activities included an opportunity to view St John Paeroa’s three modern ambulances at the Station on Saturday afternoon where items of memorabilia, including photographs were on display.

The weekend also included a dinner function and live entertainment at the Paeroa Racecourse.

Hauraki District Council Mayor John Tregida addressed the guests, acknowledging the special volunteers of St John including operational volunteers who can be called out at anytime to respond to an emergency.

He presented two certificates of appreciation, one in recognition of St John Paeroa’s 75 years of outstanding work to the community; the other singling out St John volunteer Helen Te Moananui who has given 22 years of service to St John in Paeroa.

“She has a passion for St John, for her volunteer work and also for her community.”

On behalf of the council, he offered to waive some Council fees associated with a major building project St John Paeroa is undertaking.

St John Paeroa Area Committee chairman Les Cullerne used the jubilee weekend to unveil plans for and launch a fundraising campaign for a $300,000 refurbishment and extension of the station to meet the demands of the future.

A St John Paeroa member for 47 years, Mr Cullerne took people back to relive old memories and bring everyone up to date with current happenings.

He said an early St John  meeting place was the local band hall, later supplemented by a tin shed to house the first ambulance.

“The tin shed was very basic, but we thought it was wonderful. Where the ambulance was parked created an oil spot on the floor. When we had dances in the tin shed, we would try and dance around the oil spot because it was slippery.”

Mr Cullerne recalls that Paeroa St John had no ambulance until it got a 1952 Chevrolet.
Austins, Leylands, Bedfords and Dodges followed.
“Now we’ve got  Mercedes. We’ve climbed a long way as far as our vehicle transport is concerned and how we can help people.”

The most recent addition, a modern ambulance for providing medical cover at public events, was handed over on October 28 complete with an interior fit out which made possible through an $18,000 donation by the Lions Club of Paeroa.

St John Regional Operations Manager Gary Salmon said the 75-year-milestone spanned “incredible change” that continues today.

That St John had been strong enough as an organisation to meet the challenges of change and to continue to work to deliver a world class ambulance service was a great credit to volunteer and paid St John people.

St John Northern Region Trust Board Member Ian Dunn, in presenting a jubilee certificate, said that when looking at it, viewers would reflect on the people who have contributed to St John in Paeroa during the last 75 years.