THUMBS UP & DOWN
■ Thumbs up and a big thank you to the elderly couple who picked up this elderly woman who fell over outside Pak'n Save on Friday December 3. You were wonderful.
■ Thumbs up to the staff at Bunnings Taupō for their generous gift to new St James Community Garden (Maara Kai) at Nukuhau, especially Alison for getting help from the staff and contributing plants which have been planted already! A heartfelt thank you to you all.
■ Thumbs up to Pak'n Save, the customer service was outstanding especially from Cameron the trolley guy. This guy is world class, keep him on. Cameron's coworkers were also outstanding, from the floor staff to those on checkout control. We will be back.
■ Thumbs up to the person who complained about the speeding traffic on Kinloch Rd. Kenrigg Rd and Marina Terrace are also race tracks.
■ Thumbs up and a huge thank you to Lake Taupō Sports Advisory Council and the Taupō District Council for the successful community sports grant of $1000 to assist with the uniforms for Lakilua Sports & Cultural Club touch teams. We are very grateful and appreciate your assistance.
■ Thumbs up to the lovely, helpful staff in the garden centre at Mitre 10 Mega, who did a great job of connecting the hose and reel that I purchased last Thursday. I couldn't have done it myself!
■ Thumbs up to the Taupō district councillors who voted for Māori wards to be introduced. Our gratitude for understanding and applying equity. Refreshing to know we have councillors capable of mature thinking in this space.
■ Thumbs up to very kind staff at Sign On in Ashwood Ave for helping to velcro the School sign onto my van for special needs children – all free of charge. Thank you and Merry Christmas to you all.
■ Thumbs up to Nicolieen and the team at Whitcoulls and all the people who donated the lovely cuddly bears that Family Works is able to give out to the children we work with this year. Thank you all so, so much!
■ Thumbs up to Pak'n Save for all the healthy food and eco products that they now have available as well as the better choice bags for fruit and veg. Awesome!
■ Thumbs up to Jolie at the ANZ for her careful and patient efforts to ensure I was set up for internet banking and wouldn't have to come back in to sort out any glitches. Much appreciated!
■ Thumbs up to all the people who're helping save the planet by giving less and gifting more thoughtfully this year.
■ Thumbs up to Deane from Mitre 10 for helping me construct my kids' trolley for the trolley derby. My first time with a drill and somehow we all survived!
■ Thumbs up to Taupō & Tūrangi Weekender for saving Taupō Healing and Pain Clinic in 18 weeks. Well done Weekender, I'm up and trading well and busy again, thank God. I'm so pleased to have their help.
■ Thumbs down to teenagers running riot down the arcades disrupting businesses, damaging property and intimidating people on the weekends especially in the afternoons. There needs to be more of a police presence in town walking around.
■ Thumbs down for only getting my mail once a week at the moment. They are too busy with parcels.
■ Thumbs down to Taupō, as visitors to this town we were disappointed at the attitude of people of this place and the gossip that went on.
■ Thumbs down to poor pronunciation of local place names by those who should know better. It's Toe-por not Toe-por-a, and Ruape-hu, not Rua-pay-hu. Knowing basic vowel sounds of te reo would solve your problems and be an example for all listeners.
■ Do you have a bouquet or a brickbat? Email your thumbs up/ thumbs down to us at news@taupoweekender.co.nz, message Taupo Weekender on Facebook or drop them into our office in Waipapa House, Paora Hapi St, Taupo¯. Thumbs up/thumbs down may be edited or abridged. Personal attacks or thumbs down that refer to easily-identifiable people, businesses or groups won't be published.