Celebrate being a Southlander
Today is the day to being a Southlander. Earlier this week, The Southland Times and Rugby Southland came together to get behind hosting a purple work shirt day, and invited everyone in the south to take part ... to wear a splash of purple to not only support the Stags at their first home game of the season tonight, but to be proud of our region and show we love living here; and, in the spirit of giving, to donate money to the Ronald McDonald House.
When we asked people what they loved the most about Southland, time and time again the themes came through loud and clear: family, friends, our caring nature, our ability to help embrace people in need, and the easy way of life.
The crew at Sport Southland were keen to show their true colours – purple that is.
Sport Southland regional development manager Nathan Burdon said it believed sport brought the community together and helped the community to thrive and grow.
Anything that helped to bring people together, like a purple shirt day, was something people could get behind, Burdon said.
‘‘One of the things that makes Southlanders so great is our humility but that also means we don’t talk ourselves up enough and celebrate the good things about the region as much as we should.’’
There was a need for something to really champion the good things about why we live here, Burdon said.
‘‘It would be great if there was something we can all get in behind.’’
Growing up in Southland, and having spent most of his life living in the south, Burdon thinks it is a great place full of great people.
At Five Rivers, where he was raised, everyone in the community looked out for each other.
‘‘Wherever you go in Southland, I think that’s the case.’’
Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt said the region was on a bit of a roll.
The new Invercargill branding had a positive reception, the Southland Stags song by Jason Kerrison was great and the rugby team was also playing well, Shadbolt said.
He’d never heard of a purple day in all his travels in the country.
‘‘I think this one is so unusual that it has a good chance [at doing well]; people will enjoy it.’’
He expected the council staff would be ‘‘draped’’ in purple for the day.
‘‘It’s an expression of uniqueness of the region. We’re celebrating not just the accent [rolling R] but all things Southland.’’
To donate to Ronald McDonald House, go to southlandtimes.co.nz and click on the donation button embedded in our purple work shirt story, or go to rugbysouthland.co.nz.