Lance Pedersen, an unassuming Foxton Beach resident who was recently nominated for the ASB Good as Gold award for his work with the Foxton Beach Community Centre. Photo / ASB
Lance Pedersen, an unassuming Foxton Beach resident who was recently nominated for the ASB Good as Gold award for his work with the Foxton Beach Community Centre. Photo / ASB
When the TVNZ cameras roll into town with Carolyn Robinson leading the way, you just know something awesome is about to happen.
That's exactly what happened in Foxton Beach at the end of last month, as an unknowing recipient of the ASB Good as Gold award made his way to the community centre there.
At 83, Lance Pedersen had been a regular driver for the Foxton Beach community shuttle for a number of years, but in September a man tried to carjack the shuttle while Pedersen was parked at Palmerston North hospital.
"I was sitting in the van, waiting for the patient and going over the costings [for the service] for the first 10 days of the month, when suddenly this guy banged on my window and yanked my door open."
When Pedersen refused to hand over the van keys, the 26-year-old man started assaulting him - "I turned my body so my legs were out the door and when he threw the second punch, I kicked him in the nuts."
Pedersen's elbow was also pressed against the van horn, which attracted the attention of a nurse who realised there was an assault happening and rang the hospital security guard, but by the time help arrived the man had taken off.
Elaine Pedersen is extremely proud of hubby Lance, not only for his work with the local community, but for fighting back during the attack on him in September. Photo / Nikki Carroll
Thanks to security camera footage and Pedersen's description to police, the man was arrested in New Plymouth later that day and appeared in court last week, where he was sentenced to 26 months' jail after pleading guilty to assault with intent to rob.
Meanwhile, Pedersen was treated in hospital at the time for a small cut on his lip, a considerable amount of swelling, as well as bruising to his mouth and nose.
Pedersen rang another of the drivers, who then had to call Elaine, Pedersen's wife, to let her know about the assault.
"Martin rang to say something had happened to Lance, and I thought he'd had an accident or something," said Elaine, "it was a real shock to hear he'd been assaulted."
Fellow Rongotea Lions member Bernard Lilburn had known Pedersen for over 15 years and was horrified this had happened to his friend, even more so because it was also Lance's 83rd birthday that day.
ASB Good as Gold is an initiative to celebrate and reward amazing Kiwis who have grabbed hold of life against the odds or are making a real difference to their local community. Photo / ASB
"Lance is one of those people who always turns up to every single working bee, social function, community event, to help out ... just a genuinely nice guy," said Lilburn.
Lilburn wanted to make sure something good came out of something evil, so mid-October he put in a nomination for Pedersen to be considered as an ASB Good as Gold recipient.
Within a week TVNZ had got in touch with the Foxton Beach Community Centre committee to say that Carolyn Robinson was coming to visit at the end of the month and could they please arrange to get Pedersen to the centre to be given his reward.
The president and secretary had to round up their volunteers and get Elaine and Lance to the premises without giving away the surprise.
"I sent an urgent message out to the committee and volunteers to say we needed them to come to a meeting [at the centre] on Thursday at 10am," said President Sheryl Leiser.
About 20 volunteers were hiding behind the fence when Lance crossed the road to the community centre to be greeted by a familiar face and TV cameras.
Robinson told Lance he had been nominated for the Good as Gold award and that ASB would be donating $5000 to the Foxton Beach Community Centre on his behalf, and giving the Pedersens $5000 as well.
"Everyone was so excited for Lance, especially after the horrific assault," said Leiser," and we were so surprised to hear we would be getting $5000 from ASB."
The Pedersens were blown away by the financial gift to themselves and Lance decided right then and there that their money would also be donated to the community centre.
"We didn't really need the money," [and] I knew one of the backup vans needed replacing soon," he said.
Lance said the attack didn't really affect him much, and two months later he's back to driving the shuttle once a week; however, Elaine said she's a lot more nervous when sitting in her parked car these days.
"I always lock my doors now ... this is something I wouldn't have thought of before [the attack on Lance]," she said.
