Single yellow roses, a symbol of Zonta for 24 years, were presented to three Rangiora women on International Women’s Day, in recognition of their outstanding service to their community.
Zonta Club president of Waimakariri Judith Page, says the roses were a reflection of the quiet dedication and commitment of Joanne Gumbrell, Bev Alexander and Anne Schroeder to serve others in their community.
Mrs Gumbrell is the immediate past chair of the Waimakariri Age Friendly group, a member of the Consumer Council of the Canterbury District Health Board, assistant at Anglican communion services in rest homes, ran a group of Memoir Writers for six years, and is chair of the committee aiming to establish an Abbeyfield communal living home in Rangiora.
Ms Alexander has dedicated hours of her time over the past 15 years as a member of the Ashley Rakahuri Rivercare group monitoring birds on the river. She was a finalist in last year’s Green Ribbon wards, for her work in protecting the wide variety of threatened birds and their habitat. The work the group, and Ms Alexander as a member, have done has helped increase numbers in the river.
Mrs Schroeder joined Citizens Advice North Canterbury in 2009 and became an Accredited Bureau interviewer in 2010. Over the years, she has been an active member in many of the bureau’s teams, and has led some of them. She has been involved with the civil defence, fundraising, information, learning and development, mentoring, migrant connect, and public speaking teams.
Mrs Schroeder has led the Migrant Connect team since its inception in 2014 and has co›led the Learning and Development Team since 2019.
She was elected to the Board of CABNC in 2012 (known then as the Management Committee) and became chairperson in 2013, a position she held for two years. She stepped down from the Board part way through 2015, but in 2019 Mrs Schroeder again accepted nomination as a board member. Today she is also deputy chairperson.
