Sixteen years of service to Daffodil Day

This year marks Matamata woman Ann Stokes’ 16th as a Daffodil Day volunteer.

And after the many years of collecting for Daffodil Day, she is still passionate about the special event.

Stokes’ very first Daffodil Day collection was in 2001, just weeks after she started treatment for breast cancer.

‘‘I didn’t feel well, but I did my shift,’’ she said.

‘‘The next year I wanted to put my name forward again, but I didn’t see anything in the newspaper about it.’’

Staff at the Hamilton-based Cancer Society office informed her Daffodil Day in Matamata was in jeopardy, as there was no coordinator. ‘‘So I said I would do it.’’ Stokes said she doesn’t see her years as co-ordinator as work, rather it was a joy to be of service.

‘‘It’s awesome to help other people. You forget what’s wrong with yourself and you just help other people.

‘‘I was quite a shy person, but when you take on jobs like that, you come out of your shell.

‘‘I have lots of memories. How we started and then got bigger.

‘‘We made $50,000-to-$60,000 in that time.’’

She remembered the year after she started work as the coordinator, she went hunting for a base of operations in the Matamata CBD and stumbled across an empty shop.

She contacted the owner and soon the group had a small location to operate from every Daffodil Day, conveniently near the bank where she could take the donations.

Eventually she moved to Railside by the Green, which remains the base of operations.

One day in 2006, Stokes’ good friend Joan Reed offered to drive her home and by the time she arrived at her destination, Stokes had convinced Reed to take on the role of co-ordinator and Stokes called it a day.

‘‘She started a rumour around town, don’t ever give Ann Stokes a ride home, you end up with a job,’’ Stokes said laughing.

Now in 2017, and three coordinators later, she is still a dedicated volunteer.

‘‘I haven’t missed a year in 16 years. I carried on every year, my name goes down from one year to the next.

‘‘I would miss it if I didn’t get involved.’’

REXINE HAWES Ann Stokes has been volunteering for Daffodil Day for 16 years. She was the Matamata co-ordinator for five years.