Letters
Integrated health centre
Mr Piekarski again asks me “Why does IMG refuse the choice to continue funding JWRH?” (Letters 18 June). I reply, exactly as I did last week, that the IMG has never funded the Joan Whiting. I thought that statement was pretty clear. Mr Pierkarski requests a full financial statement of the Joan Whiting. Full financial statements were made available at the last AGM. It’s no secret that the Joan Whiting is running at a deficit in excess of $130,000 annually. Without integration the Joan Whiting has no chance of survival. With integration, we can hope to ensure that elder care remains viable in the Bay.
I’m currently travelling overseas but if Mr Piekarski is interested in a sensible discussion about the Joan Whiting situation, he’s more than welcome to phone me when I return.
Christopher Mitson
Chairperson, Joan Whiting Trust Board
Gifted and talented provision
I read with great interest the article in last week’s GB Weekly regarding the provision for children identified as gifted and talented.
I am the parent of a child who has been diagnosed by an educational psychologist as being gifted and talented.
While I do not pretend to understand exactly the differences between my daughter and her peers, the one thing I do know is that being gifted and talented does not necessarily mean being cleverer. In fact many children diagnosed as gifted and talented have associated learning needs (dyslexia is quite common among gifted and talented children).
My concern is that the desire to give provision for gifted and talented children is being confused with providing extension and alternative activities for all children.
The fact is that gifted and talented children think differently to their peers, and to truly cater for them the programmes set up need to recognise this. This currently does not happen.
The attempts by Golden Bay primary schools to create stimulating and exciting alternative programmes is to be lauded but it does not cater for the needs of gifted and talented children – to call these programmes (as they currently are) gifted and talented is a misnomer.
Name withheld (daughter’s privacy)
Gold Guitar Awards Thanks
Every year for the last 36 years Gore has hosted the New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards. This event attracts artists from around the world and continues to grow in stature and popularity.
Audience levels reach over 5,000 and the entries in all sections and events total 700 competitors.
I got to be a part of this amazing adventure this year thanks to my sponsors.
The awards are held annually on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Queen’s Birthday Weekend. Each day, auditions are held in two venues. At the auditions judges choose finalists in the various sections. The junior and intermediate finals are held on Saturday night and the senior final night is Sunday.
I had an absolute blast. I got into two finals: Vocal and New Zealand Composition (I wrote the song myself). I also received highly commended in the Traditional section. As this is my first time I was really pleased with what I had achieved. I was up against the best of the best.
My next adventure is going to Entertainer of the Year in Rotorua which is in October. Who knows what the future may bring?
Nikita Buys
clarification
A clarification regarding an article in last week’s issue: Brian Reilly received the Ravensdown award for exceptional voluntary service from the Royal Agricultural Society and it was presented by Mr Dave Jackson.
