MEET ST JOHNS CADET OF THE YEAR
Helping a man who’d cut off the top of his finger is the worst thing Taranaki teenager Cascade Price has seen while volunteering for St John.
The 17-year-old, who was recently named the St John national cadet of the year, was approached by the man, who had his hand wrapped in a tea towel, while she was working at the Bowl of Brooklands last year.
She was initially shocked by his casual approach, asking if she could sew the tip of his finger back on - but then her training kicked in. ‘‘I thought, ‘oh my, that’s a guy with half a finger’.
‘‘It’s an instant reaction when you see something that you are not used to but you push past it and deal with it.’’
Price, a year 13 student at Spotswood College, said she got involved with the organisation aged 10. ‘‘I heard about it through mum and I went along and I have kept going. It’s provided me with general life skills and a passion for helping people.‘‘
Price’s achievement was recognised at a ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral, Dunedin, on November 18, which was attended by Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy. Price was also presented with her Grand Prior badge.
The badge is awarded for putting in 100 hours of community service and completing 12 badges: six compulsory and six elective.
She was extremely proud of her achievements and so were her parents, Anne-Maree and Russell.
‘‘I looked over at my parents and my mum was almost crying.’’
Price, who plays 11 musical instruments, including the guitar, saxophone, piano, drums and violin, is moving to Waikato to study towards a Batchelor of Nursing next year.
One day Price said she would like to combine her passion for music and love of helping people by moving into the field of musical therapy.