Dannevirke woman Pat Edwards-Sextus made life member of Tararua Hearing Association

Tararua Hearing Association president Rachel Nelson and Pat Edwards-Sextus, who has received life membership for her long service to the organisation. Photo / Sue Emeny

A Dannevirke woman who has made a huge contribution to the community received formal recognition for her work with Tararua Hearing Association.

At this month’s committee meeting, Pat Edwards-Sextus was awarded life membership for her many years of service to the group.

Pat became a member of the association when she moved near the Hearing Association rooms in 1995.

She was no stranger to the problems related to hearing loss as she needed to use hearing aids at that same time.

Pat served on the committee for 10 years but stood down at the annual meeting in April.

“I felt it was time for younger ones to serve on the committee, although I did keep an eye on things,” Pat said.

“I was the same when I was on the council, I was the one who asked the most awkward questions.”

She recalled that meetings of the association were much more casual in the past, being of a more social nature.

“Everything is getting very complicated now. Things are much more professional.”

Pat was the driving force in changing the name of the group from the Southern Hawke’s Bay Hearing Association to the Tararua Hearing Association.

In a submission to the committee, she outlined the reason for the need to change the name.

The amalgamation of councils meant Southern Hawke’s Bay and Northern Wairarapa came under Tararua District.

“With more businesses and people recognising and using the term Tararua it would make sense that our branch had a change of name to reflect the area which we are operating in.”

The submission was adopted and the change of name came into effect.

Pat’s civic duties did not stop there. Among her many other roles, Pat was a Dannevirke Borough Councillor from 1977 until 1986 and a Tararua District Councillor from 1987 until she retired in 1989.

Pat became a Justice of the Peace in 1983. She retired from this role at the mandatory age of 78.

Pat has been a foundation member of the Gallery of History since 1986 and a member of the Tararua Provincial Rural Women New Zealand since 1959 holding the positions of president, secretary and treasurer at different times.

In presenting Pat with her life membership, Tararua Hearing Association president Rachel Nelson thanked Pat for all she did.

Pat acknowledged the work Rachel carried out, not just on a local level but with her role in the national body.

“It seems to me the association is becoming involved in a lot of other things and it also sounds to me that you are carrying the association as well as the branch. Everything is getting very complicated.”

Pat said the Hearing Association provided a good service and more people who had hearing loss should check out what services the association could provide.