Friday, January 30, 2026
Maureen has always had a heart for the community in Whakatane. She was a Town Host many years ago when the Public Relations Office would welcome newcomers by sending a friendly local ambassador (Town Hosts) out the homes of families to personally welcome them and answer any questions they might have - local schools for kids, sport club contacts, where to buy fish n chips - all of the important things! They would leave newcomers with a folder full of information and vouchers to be used at various retail places to help them integrate into their new home.
Maureen was an active member of Jaycees, the AMP Show team and has just completed 17 years serving Whakatane as a JP, focussing on helping some of our most vulnerable people which often meant trips to the hospital or police station during the night.
There is not a week that goes by where she isn't cooking a meal for someone, baking, driving people to specialist appointments in Tauranga, Rotorua or locally, doing someone's shopping for them or taking them out. And if you are one of the lucky ones, who she spots in the supermarket counting pennies or the kid who desperately wants a wee toy whose parents have said they can't afford, and she's offered to pay - well you've just been blessed by this unsung hero.