Daffodil Day: It was a great day to be a Lion

Tamara Sparksman loads the mince while Linda Zander and Debbie Alderton stand by to add eggs and bacon.

They worked hard, as always, to organise and serve their traditional Daffodil Day breakfast at the Cooper's Beach Bowling Club on Friday, but it was very gratified pride of Mangonui Lions who finally finished cleaning up, locked the doors and went home.

President Graham Stanaway, Lions Kuki Fren (Doubtless Bay appeal organiser) and Janet Lumsden (raffles) led by example, picking daffodils for sale and collating raffle sponsors every day for a week, generating $1048 for flowers and $1690 for raffles on behalf of the Cancer Society, while the Cooper's Beach Banger Barbecue team, led by Lion Roger Wakefield, contributed another $506, but the highlight of the week was the Friday morning breakfast.

Taipa Area School students Keriana Cork-Patrick (left), Shaquille Duval, Celine Conaglen, Kahurangi Te Wara, Vincent Johns and Cyrus Broughton getting a good start to their day.

"I can only describe it as mind-blowing," organiser Lion Dave Shalders said.
Some 245 early risers converged on the bowling club over three hours from 6am, half as many again as in previous years.

"We must be doing something right," Dave said. The breakfast raised $5200, including donations.

The Mangonui Lions Club breakfast has always pulled a crowd, but never as big as last week's.

Sponsors had played a big part in that, as had "wonderful" volunteers, including bowling club vice-president Steve Barber, Lorraine Walters and Jan Parker, who, with Ngaire Watt, had organised the fundraiser for five years then supported the Lions for the last six.
"Then there were those from the community who helped on the day, arriving at 5am to prepare and welcome first guests," he said.

"Chief chef Dave and Lee Collard took responsibility for making things happen in the engine room, assisted by Linda Zander, Tamara Sparksman, Deb Wells, Mangonui School principal David Sedcole and a remarkable young lady, Jaqui Gloyer, the Scrambled Egg Queen, who cracked almost 40 dozen eggs - the last spoonful as good as the first."

Mayor John Carter and Lion Stan Moses, possibly pondering whether a dropped sausage has exceeded the three-second limit.

Ten local business owners shouted their staff to breakfast, the largest being Coastal Homes with 22 arriving at 7am, along with Taipa Area School principal Doreen Bailey and students, Mayor John Carter and Cr Toss Kitchen, the Mangonui police and the mah-jong ladies.

"To each and every one of you, a huge thank you from the Mangonui Lions. Conspicuous by their absence were the parliamentary candidates - opportunity lost," he added.
The result of all that effort and community support was a donation of approximately $8300 to the Cancer Society, which is a 33 per cent increase on 2016.