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A young mother and first responder is the latest recipient of the Gillies Family Scholarship from the Zonta Club of Oamaru.
Alice-Rose Havler said she was “very privileged” to receive the scholarship, which she will use to study a bachelor of health science (paramedicine) at Whitireia and WelTec in Porirua, Wellington.
Her goal is to become a registered paramedic and continue serving the community which she calls “home”.
She joined Hato Hone St John as a volunteer in 2013, gained her emergency medical technician (EMT) training qualification in 2016, and continued as a volunteer until she progressed to a paid position in 2019.
The scholarship was funded through a $1000 donation from Jude Gillies, who previously lived in Oamaru, to help women aged 25 and over with tertiary education.
"I knew they had quite a few applicants so it was a surprise. I want to thank them for their support of my studies,’’ Ms Havler said.
"I’m super appreciative of the scholarship and the Zonta ladies are absolutely spectacular. I really enjoyed my evening dinner with them and meeting all of them.
"They’re a fantastic organisation.”
Zonta member Cailleen Trengrove, also an interview panel member, said despite the other interviewees being "of a very high calibre” it was a unanimous decision after Ms Havler’s successful interview.
Now in its fifth year, the scholarship recognises the importance and difficulty of women achieving education for career goals at a later stage in their life, and the positive impact this achievement will have on their family and community.
It also recognises the financial impacts on women, who are often supporting a family, and the cost of study.
Ms Havler has two daughters, aged 18 and 7, and lost her partner, the father of her now 7-year-old daughter, when the girl was 2.
She said her parents and friends had become her “village” and helped her to care for her younger daughter, and also her elder daughter when she was home, while Ms Havler was away studying.
Jude Gillies said it was “truly humbling to read of Alice’s commitment and resilience" and it was an honour to be part of the support Zonta provided.
"It’s particularly gratifying to see women helping women, especially in the challenging area of training as as an adult.
"I continue to be amazed and inspired by women such as Alice and those of you involved in Zonta,” she said.
Ms Gillies said she wished Ms Havler well for her studies and eventual graduation.
The study will take her about five years to complete part-time, online and attending compulsory block courses in Porirua, while she also continues her full-time work with Hato Hone St John as an emergency medical technician.
She works on the frontline with other crew operating the only full-time Oamaru truck.
She often travels as far as Omarama, Mt Cook, Palmerston, Ranfurly and inland into Danseys Pass, answering all emergency calls for car accidents, medical incidents and alarm activations and “everything else in between”, she said.
Ms Havler said she was also grateful to everyone at the Oamaru St John ambulance station for their support, guidance and time.
Over the past 12 years she has developed a strong commitment to serving the rural Otago and coastal Otago communities and has been inspired to continue developing her knowledge and clinical skills through further study.
Zonta president Rowena Hutton said supporting Ms Havler to completing the degree would allow her to deliver a higher standard of care, improve patient outcomes and contribute to strengthening emergency healthcare in rural New Zealand.