Stalwart’s voluntary work is recognised
Grey Power’s latest life member came close to being shot while working as a volunteer builder in New Hebrides, now known as Vanuatu.
Vern Gill, of Invercargill, has done a lot of voluntary work but it nearly cost him his life in New Hebrides in 1980. He was there for eight weeks and, during that time, violence broke out through an uprising against the colonial officials. Homes and buildings were burned and people killed.
Gill was leaving New Hebrides, on the first stage of his journey back to Invercargill, when he feared for his life. The small plane he was in had just taken off when it was shot at multiple times by rebels.
‘‘You could hear bang, bang coming from the seats in front of me,’’ Gill said.
The plane continued flying and landed safely in Port Vila.
Gill’s wife, Ann, didn’t go to New Hebrides and knew nothing about the plane being shot at for at least 10 years.
Gill wouldn’t talk about it until one day, after bursting into tears when watching a shooting scene on television. Ann asked what made him upset and he told her about the flashbacks he was having from the plane being shot at. Medical experts confirmed he had posttrauma stress syndrome.
‘‘I’m still not 100 per cent over it.’’ He was one of four current life members of Grey Power Southland, the organisation’s office manager Stephnie De Ruyter said. ‘‘We don’t hand these out willy-nilly . . . it’s for exemplary service [in Grey Power]. ‘‘Vern’s worked on the committee, been a voluntary office worker, handyman and delivered a thousand newsletters by hand.’’ Vice-president Jim Fish said Gill would do anything for Grey Power.
‘‘He’s practical . . . if there’s a lock or leak that needs fixing, he will do it.’’
Gill had no inkling about receiving the honour until the presentation ceremony began at a Grey Power meeting in June. He was surprised when told.
Gill said Grey Power was a good organisation to be part of and offered a lot of advice and support to senior citizens. ‘‘A lot of people don’t know what services are available to them.’’