Good Sorts - John Stevens

Waiting for our turn; John Stevens and his dogs waiting for their turn to compete at the NZ Championship Gun Dog Trials at Invercargill in October.

New Zealand bush is where Waimate volunteer John Stevens (80) likes to spend a lot of his time, surrounded by New Zealand’s flora and fauna and of course, with man’s best friend, his dogs.

John was born in Dannevirke in 1941 and at a young age his family moved to Waimate, where two of his sisters were born. His father was a pharmacist and manged the United Friendly Society Pharmacy (UFS). After living in Waimate a short period of time the family moved to Owaka for a few years, before moving to Timaru where he did his schooling.

He then followed in his father’s footsteps and became a pharmacist, doing his pharmaceutical training in Petone and then joining his father’s pharmacy in Timaru as an apprentice.

 In 1973 he moved back to Waimate having purchased one of three pharmacies then operating in the town. He continued to run the pharmacy until the year 2000. In the 5 years after selling the business he worked as a locum pharmacist around South Canterbury.

He also bought 16 hectares of land at Willowbridge near Waimate and, over several years, planted 4 hectares with native flora and fauna. He has received awards from Environment Canterbury (ECAN) and the Department of Conservation (DOC) for his efforts.

John started his volunteer work while he was in Timaru and became part of the South Canterbury Deer Stalkers Association. As a member he assisted among other things, in conducting training courses on safety and how to hunt successfully. “I recently received a badge for my 50-year membership of the branch,” he said.

While in Timaru he also volunteered with the Civil Defence Police, which was a police initiative at the time. At the weekends volunteers would join with uniformed police officers, drive around Timaru with them and would help where they were needed.

Through this initiative John also became involved in search and rescue. He said on one occasion he was involved in a search and rescue for a young person who went missing up at Kelceys Bush. “Another time an Airforce Devon aircraft crashed in the hillside around Danseys Pass area and police had to recover three people. “I was asked to assist in the recovery of those people,” he said.

On shifting to Waimate John joined the Waimate Squash Club and served on the committee, as well as president and treasurer for a short period of time. He was the fundraising organiser for the second squash court at the old Waimate Sports Stadium, which is now part of the Waimate Events Centre and was involved with the building of the lounge and toilets beside the squash court. Not only was John involved in fundraising for the Waimate Squash Club but he was also involved in fundraising for the Norman Kirk swimming pool. As part of being on the squash committee, he represented them on the Waimate Stadium committee. “I [also] played squash for as long as I was able to. “It was something a really enjoyed doing,” he said.

John served on the Waimate Borough Council for 15 years and was Chairman of Reserves for part of the time. However, when the Waimate District Council was established he was unable to attend the meetings, as they were held during the day and he still had a pharmacy to run. He said he had mixed feelings about giving up as he had enjoyed being a member of the council.

As a life member of the Waimate Gundog Club, he  organises training sessions for members. He is president of the club and has been for 30 years and has served as their treasurer and secretary from time to time.

The Waimate Rod and Gun Club is another club he is a life member of and was their treasurer for 33 years. “I just retired from being treasurer at the last meeting but am still on the committee,” he said.

Until the last Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Friends of Kelcey’s Bush John had been the chairman of the group for 20 years and has been involved in everything that has been done up there in that time. Being involved with Friends of Kelcey’s Bush meant he worked with the Department of Conservation (DOC) as everything done at Kelcey’s Bush needed their approval. He wrote the groups constitution and registered them as an incorporated society, and they are now a charity as well. “People have done a lot of hard work up there” he said.

John was also initially involved with the establishment of the Bushtown Committee and prepared their constitution and registered them as an incorporated society. He is still a member and still does things for them occasionally.

Lastly John is involved with the Waihao Wainono Catchment Community Group and has been on the committee from around the time it was established, about 20 years ago. He said at the present, the group was involved with holding working bees around planting beside the Waihao River, between Bradshaw’s Bridge and the Black Hole. “I wrote the constitution and registered them as an incorporated society as well. “They also are a charity,” he said.

John said everything he has volunteered in over the years are things that he enjoys doing for various reasons and that once he gets involved, he has trouble letting them go. He said he is proud of the contributions he has made towards the community.

“Waimate has been good to me, my family and my business, without the support of the people of Waimate I would not of had a successful pharmacy business.

 “Volunteering is my way of giving back to my community.”

by Amelia King