OCBC Community Heroes, 2021-22

Rudy Baptist

Every local and virtually every visitor to Orere Point in the last few years has enjoyed the comfort, smiled at the decoration and marvelled at the creative innovations that are fondly referred to as ‘Rudy Chairs’.

Rudy’s design eye and practical arm came together to construct beach seating that not just helps to define OP a little but helped fund it too. Rudy’s seats have raised plenty of funds for the Orere Point School, and big thanks must also go to Rudy’s fellow chair constructors, Travis Pram and Terry Ouwejan.

Rudy brings the Orere Point community the same dedication and commitment that has seen him compete in literally hundreds of road races, a few marathons and Coast-to-Coasts and even a 3000km cycle trek the length of Aotearoa.

He is a former Chair of the Orere War Memorial Hall committee, is a strong supporter of the OCBC and is without doubt a friend and helper to any and all in the community.

We salute Rudy Baptist as a true Orere Point community hero.

John Nicholson

For over a decade and a half, John Nicholson has been entrusted to ensure the next generation of Orere Pointers get safely to and from school each day. John drove the Orere School van for 12 years before settling into the seat of a Murphy’s school bus for four years until the company lost the contract at the end of 2021.

John and Kathleen have lived in Orere Point for 25 years, taking on the school runs as he started to ease up on life a little. John drove younger children from Kawakawa Bay to Orere School as well as taking the older students to Kaiaua for a connecting bus to Ngatea. “I loved it all, the kids, interacting with their parents. It was a great job.”

When he’s not behind the wheel of a bus or van, John is likely to be spotted riding his 38-year-old Kawasaki 650cc motorcycle, and perhaps his lifelong love of riding could account for John sporting Orere’s most well known Tennessee waterfall (commonly called a mullet).

John’s dedication and friendliness were recognised by both schools and parents when he stopped driving at the end of last year, and we will all miss the effortless, happy wave of recognition from the guy in the school bus.

Thanks John, you are a genuine Orere community good guy.

Karen McCrindle

The list of reasons why Karen has been recognised as an Orere Point community exemplar is longer than we can make space for. Instead we will celebrate Karen’s outstanding achievement of establishing and growing the popular Orere Point Market in 2020-21.

The monthly (Covid-permitting) Orere Point market provides an outlet for local talent, craft and local produce. The market reflects a growing trend globally, where people want to support local growers, and Karen has ensured the dates fit into a regional frame and so has steadily built up the number of stallholders.

The market plays an important role in the community, providing not just variety but offering a meeting place, a chance to catch up and chat and meet old friends and make new ones. It is a community asset.

Karen’s quiet determination and drive has seen her build her own business from Orere Point, while at the same time acting as the rock around which the OCBC is able to operate so successfully. Karen is not just the club’s go-to person but is the go-to gal for many in Orere Point. Supported superbly by husband Stu and her mother Sharon, Karen is also making the most of the chance to take out Orere’s Grandie of the Year award (should we ever dream one up).

A great communicator who gets things done (always with a smile) Karen is more of a community asset that her market creation, and certainly is a very deserving recipient of this Orere Point Community Award.