THUMBS UP & DOWN

■ Thumbs up: to the staff at Westpac Bank for the aroha they showed my wife after her fall inside their doorway. Happy New Year.

■ Thumbs up: to McCutcheon hay contractors for being so patient and kind to the young tractor fan down Rathbone St — you made him very happy.

■ Thumbs up: to all those businesses who donated item for the Waipukurau Scouts Christmas raffle. Countdown, Mitre 10 Mega Hastings, Unichem Pharmacy, Sports world, Hunting and Fishing, Story’s Clothing, Gifts Setera, Food for Thought Organics, Two Taniwha Kitchen and Bar, Paper Plus, Country Collectables, Silver Fern Farms, Hello World, Polly’s, Kelz Coffee, Arataki Honey, Hatuma Cafe and Jean Sterinsen. The raffle has been drawn and the winners have been notified.

■ Thumbs down: to the instigator of more judder bars at Pourerere Beach (over 20 judder bars and humps plus some ropes). If we had a tsunami warning we have to vacate immediately and what chaos they would cause with people trying to get out.

■ Thumbs down: to the person who felt that the Christmas tree on the cnr of Ruataniwha St and Porongahau Rd was “truly pathetic”. Even though it may not have been everyone’s cup of tea, it was still someone’s creation and some pride was put in it. Words can hurt. Sad to read someone in the community could make such a judgmental comment.