Vogelmorn club happy place for this volunteer
Ruth Fischer-Smith is a volunteer at the Vogelmorn Bowling Club, where she has been a trustee since 2018, sitting on the zero waste, garden, strategy and employment committees. She works at Callaghan Innovation asherdayjob.
Where do you live?
I’m a Vogelmorn resident and I’ve lived in this neighbourhood for almost 10 years. I moved here from Ōtautahi Christchurch. I moved to Ōtautahi from the United States, where I grew up in Oregon, and then came over with my spouse who was a Kiwi.
The best thing about Vogelmorn is ...
It’s really close to the city but at the same time you have that connection with nature as well. There’s a lot of nature that you walk on and there’s the wind. Even though people don’t [like] it, it kind of refreshes us and cleanses us and it keeps us alive when you’re walking around. And Vogelmorn Bowling Club, of course!
Speaking of the club, how did you get involved?
It started as being a volunteer covering cushions because I think that’s cool when people do stuff together. After helping out for a couple of years, they asked me to become a trustee. I’ve been a trustee for six years now, which is more involved in governance, helping to guide the club’s direction and look at how we’re making this space open for people.
Do you have a favourite space at the club?
The co-working space. I work from here on Fridays and I really like how you can get into your work and see other people working, but also you see the people coming and going. So many kinds of people come in every day.
My guilty pleasure in Wellington is ...
Going to pinball. You can play at Midnight Espresso, you can play it at Seashore
Cabaret at Petone, and used to be able to play at Black Coffee in Newtown. I love the combination of coffee and pinball.
When I need to clear my head, I go to ...
Tawatawa Reserve. It’s a walking track at the end of Kingston. It’s so peaceful out there and I love the pouwhenua of Te Rauparaha.
The perfect Saturday morning is ...
I love sports, so kicking a football around with my kid and then coming to the club to get a coffee. And then maybe walking into town to see a matinee.
The best restaurant in Wellington is ...
The Wholesale Boot Company (WBC) on Victoria St, when I have enough extra cash to go there. It’s not cheap!