THUMBS

■ Thumbs up and a big thank you to Stacey, Caitlin, Dawn and Fitar the aqua aerobic instructors at AC Baths. Amazing energetic exercises working the whole body which gets the heart rate up, blood pressure down and tones the muscles. You are doing a fantastic job. Thanks a ton.

■ Thumbs up to Terence St (most mentioned street in this column). A truly quintessential Kiwi street packed full of good people and an excellent resident band to boot.

■ Thumbs up to the gardeners who maintain our Taupo¯ rose garden. It is absolutely picture perfect at the moment. Such a pleasure to wander through.

■ Thumbs up to Megan Archbold from Pak’nSave. She was helping a blind lady shop and she went the extra mile to check all expiration dates first. Awesome to see!

■ Thumbs up from the Lakeside Variety Country Music Club Taupo¯ to the following Taupo¯ Cossie Club people; Allan Jamieson, the Taupo¯ Cossie Club committee and especially Debbie for the support given to our not-forprofit club throughout the year.

■ Thumbs up to Tony and his team at Key & Lock for assisting us with our breakdown. Great professional service and thank you for seeing us back on the road. Merry Christmas to you all.

■ Thumbs up to the organisers of Christmas in the Park last weekend. I believe this was the Elim Church who fundraised to put on this wonderful free family event for all to enjoy. Despite the horrible weather you bravely battled on and pulled together a really fun afternoon. It was obvious that a lot of time and effort had gone into this and I really hope that it becomes a regular event. I’m sure that had the weather been fine, there would have been standing room only. Really looking forward to it again next year.

■ Thumbs up to those who were affected by the fire in town. Don’t give up, kia ora kia kaha.

■ Thumbs up to Sheree working at Lakeside Meats for her outstanding customer service, always so friendly and her baking is great. Davidson and Ross are lucky to have her.

■ Thumbs up for the organisers and volunteers for the Huka Challenge mountain bike event.

■ Thumbs up to the kind person who handed my wallet in to police on November 27. It was found in Paora Hapi St outside Asian Kai. Very much appreciated. They didn’t leave a name so hope they read this.

■ Thumbs up to the person that has set up a food pantry on Invergarry Rd. Your kind deed is appreciated.

■ Thumbs up to all drivers considerate of others within the CBD. Sometimes it seems like you are the minority, keep up the good work, your consideration may be infectious and encourage others to follow your example.

■ Thumbs up to all the locals who mow their ‘council-owned berms’ and weed eat boundaries. You help make our town look respectable.

■ Thumbs up to all involved in the Taupo¯ Academy of Dance production at the Great Lake Centre last Sunday, from the teachers through the production crew, the participants and the backstage folk, a non-stop afternoon of varied entertainment.

■ Thumbs up and thank you so much to the person that slowed down on Acacia Bay Rd last Friday and tooted at our cat. He was being naughty and crossing the road. He is the heart of our family and we don’t know what we would do without him. Thank you for looking out for animals!

■ Thumbs up and may God always shower favour and richly bless the beautiful honest gentleman who handed in my handbag containing a lot of cash, credit/cash cards, iPhone etc to the Countdown staff on Saturday just before 5pm. It had been left in the carpark trolley bay in the rain — what a humbling and valuable lesson I learned for my carelessness! I am so very grateful — thank you.

■ Thumbs up and a big thank you to John Burnside, Pakeke Lions, Higgins Construction, Bronwyn Mock and her team who have judged the floats entered in the parade for many years. It was touch and go on Saturday if it was to preserve its unbroken record of it never raining on the parade in the 44 years of giving pleasure to generations of Taupo¯ citizens. Thanks to John and his team from a grateful ‘Taupo¯ite’.

■ Thumbs down to SH1 Motors at Two Mile Bay. Taupo¯ District Council should be proactive to nip this in the bud. Parking signs with limited hours could be introduced to get rid of the problem. It’s getting ridiculous and dangerous too as prospective buyers slow down and double park without warning to view cars.

■ Thumbs down to the person who has embarked on a campaign of character assassination, intimidation and bullying. Your words and actions could have drastic consequences. In the position you hold, one expects higher standards, self restraint and honesty.

■ Thumbs down to irregular mowing of berms and parks and reserves and and an even bigger thumbs down for the lack of weed eating. No doubt a lack of funds and resources will be blamed but should be factored into maintaining the green spaces we have so we can be proud of our town. Check out council-owned berms, boundary fences and weeds in road side gutters from Two Mile Bay sailing centre to the airport roundabout as only one example of a poorly-maintained area of Taupo¯.

■ Thumbs down to the council. What’s happened to the programme to seal more roadside berms within one to three blocks of the Taupo¯ CBD to provide off-street parking? We are lucky to have such wide streets to accommodate driving and parking.

■ Do you have a bouquet or a brickbat? Email your thumbs up/ thumbs down to us at news@taupoweekender.co.nz, text us on 021 241 4568 (insert the code TW at the start of your text message) 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.