Scavengers' Yvonne Judge and volunteer Leanne Osborne with the sign at the gate asking people not to leave rubbish.
Trash not always treasure
People dumping rubbish on the doorstep is an ongoing nightmare for Ruakaka's charity shop Scavengers.
Yvonne Judge started the second-hand business 20 years ago, selling other people's unwanted goods and donating the proceeds to local charities, and over that time has raised about $500,000 for the community.
She says the dumping problem is getting worse, and it's disheartening for her and her small team of volunteers.
"It's never just one bag, it's 20."
Caretaker David Wind, who lives on the property, said rubbish is usually dumped once or twice a month.
"But sometimes it's three times in a week."
Guard dog Jack alerts him to night-time visitors, but by the time Wind gets outside, they've fled, leaving piles of mattresses or bags full of paper, takeaway containers, old shoes, clothes and sometimes dirty nappies.
"I get rid of those straight away – I don't want the girls having to deal with that."
Wind leaves the roadside gate open to stop people dumping their rubbish in the middle of the street where it would blow around and create a huge mess, but then must deal with what's left in the driveway, often having to pile up a trailer to take it to the tip.
"People don't want to take it to the tip because it costs money. I can understand why they do it – when I go to the tip, it's never under $50 for me to dump it.
"Some people might not have the money to do it. The tip fees are too high."
Judge said the council should reduce tipping fees for a charity like hers, and Bream Bay councillor Phil Halse said Judge has a good point.
He would like to see tip fees reduced or even free for an organisation such as Scavengers, but said he is outnumbered in council on this view and the only way for it to happen would be continual lobbying.
The arrival of her new baby won't hold Ruakaka firefighter Billie Axton back for long.
Baby Taika is just two weeks old, but with help from partner Kurt, Axton hopes that in a fortnight or so when the siren goes, she'll be able to respond and return to the job she loves.
Axton, a volunteer firefighter with the Ruakaka Volunteer Fire Brigade for nearly three years, is one of the brigade's five female firefighters (from a total of 29 volunteers).
"I don't know for a fact if we have more women than any other brigades," said Ruakaka station officer Jeff D'Ath.
"But I'm sure it's up there."
He said over the years they've had fathers and daughters, brothers and sisters or married couples in the Ruakaka brigade together.
Having women firefighters brings a different dynamic to the brigade, he said.
"It's a family friendly environment."
At car accidents, a woman's smaller size means they can fit in through windows, and if children are involved in trauma, he said they are usually happier to be looked after by a woman than a man.
He said some people think the job is too strenuous for women.
"But we work as a team, together. If you have to lift something heavy, there's always someone to help you."
He would be more than happy to have more women in the brigade.
"Some of these girls have been to the most hideous car crashes - they just use their skills and get on with it."
■ Email Julie Paton at moojoy@xtra.co.nz if you've got Bream Bay news to share with Northern Advocate readers.
Is cash still king or does everybody just use a card or their phone these days?