The help request is for Otorohanga Rotary Club members. And other outsiders who want to volunteer.
Non-Otorohanga Folk. It's for your information too and an encouragement to view the website. This message will make far better sense if you do
Steamfest starts at 9 pm Friday 18th of August - when a steam train arrives from Auckland with as many as 300 passengers to stay the weekend in and around Otorohanga
The only limitation being accommodation and the Jaffa organisers do not seem to have appreciated that there is no 10 story hotel on Maniapoto St.
Is it too late to arrange B&B in the style that we did for the Lincoln Uni Students ?.. It's 3 weeks away tonight.. We need to provide Two nights accommodation Fri Sat 18/19
Rotary Help for Steamfest - Sunday only for this particular assignment.
We have several car clubs attending. I am dealing with two of them. A Veteran Car Club with cars dating back to about 1904 which incorporates a Ford Model T and Model A group, and a Post Vintage Car club - which will be, I think, late 40's to 60's.
I have arranged for the two groups to rally at and from the Girl Guides Hall which is now Council owned and administered. The Tuatara Room would be better - but we are looking like having maybe 30 old cars, plus 15 or 20 car carrying trailers and the same number of more modern towing cars. So Parking will be an issue. All the streets closer to town will be filled with visitors' cars. If the weather is fine the town will be full, because it's a free-of-cost weekend, apart from stalls providing food and of course, the train excursions.
My proposal is that we enlist the help of a Service Club. I am asking Rotary first because I suspect many Lions will be involved with hosting the Aviation people but mainly with the Vintage Tractor Club.
This email isn't the definitive program for the hosting/marshalling job, it's just an outline. If Rotary agrees to do it, you will have a briefing meeting and get written details - Rotary can wear the club's HiViz jackets.
We have to think about scheduling the car's arrivals - then a break so everyone - including Rotarians go to the Railway Precinct to see the Great Race... Steam Train/Steam Car/Steam Motor Bike/1931 Fox Moth... starting from Otorohanga at 11:40am - ending at Te Kumi crossing next to the airfield where the plane will land and the road vehicles will arrive - possibly via Old Te Kuiti Road then Hangatiki East Road, this will give train passengers greater view of the old cars racing them.
So I am thinking some Rotarians and visitors may want to rush down SH3 to be at Te Kumi to see the theatrics we will be orchestrating.
It's Sunday only for this part of the event - hosting the Car Club visitors and families - they are accustomed to bringing their own food - you would need the two spare urns from the Tuatara Room - maybe a couple of barbecues - but generally it's a giant version of our historic Picnic in the Park - but no catering apart from coffee, tea, milo, milk & sugar.
AND very important - parking patrol marshalling. I will be talking to all neighbours, Catholic School, St John, Swimming Pool and doing a scout around of the adjacent streets. If it's wet then there will be less cars (open tourers don't like rain). We will provide signage.
I will not be available at all to look in on whoever takes up the task as I will be very involved on the trains. and the two train races. Yes two races now.. The first sold out in a few days - the second sold out even faster. The second is later in the afternoon. We are hoping that The Hon Paula Bennett will be on the engine footplate - So for the second race, also be at Te Kumi Road to see her leap down and dash along Te Kumi Station Road to the trophy stand - certainly being overtaken by a Model T and some sort of different aircraft with the pilot making a dash too.
As a National held constituency we will try to get opposition party supporters in the other transport.
Barry
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Barry and/or Janice Marx
P O Box 209
Otorohanga 3940
New Zealand
Phone: 021 626 090