The Volunteer of the Month Award for July 2023 was awarded to Tim Peipi.
Tim is a long time volunteer at Crossroads Marlborough where he has been helping out for 9 years. When he started his time with Crossroads, Tim primarily helped out in the kitchen, although was more than happy to pitch in wherever and whenever he needed to.
Nowadays, Tim is responsible for managing the Urban Harvest programme at Crossroads. As fruit and vegetables are brought into the organisation, Tim takes the time to inspect it all and make sure it's all good. Then he takes out what they need for use in the kitchen for the many soups and other meals served, before the rest is laid out in boxes on a table for visitors to Crossroads to take as needed for free, along with any bread that they might want. Often these fruits and veggies are added to food parcels or given to those who are waiting on a parcel, to tide them over and help keep healthy food in their bellies.
Tim spends somewhere between 80 - 120 hours per month giving his time to the workings of Crossroads and, in addition to overseeing the donation of kai, he will support kitchen staff and spend time with patrons. Crossroads also has showers, washing machine and dryer available for patrons to use as needed, for a small donation.
"I really believe in helping others, giving them a boost, so I'm always willing to help out where I can," says Tim. "It gets me out of the house and gives me something to do, but it also gives people a friendly face in a place where they can feel safe, get warm, and have some food."
The team at Crossroads made it very clear to us how much they value Tim and all he does. Crossroads Manager, Jeanine Sadd, said "Tim shows what the values of kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga truly are to us all. He carries out his role in such a humble way and is accepting of all who need support."
Thank you, Tim, for everything that you are doing to give back to the community!
SIDE NOTE: Crossroads often has a wishlist of items that are needed for donation, items that are used in quite high quantities. Right now, Tim says, they have quite a need for tea, coffee, and sugar. If you are able to supply any of these, please do drop them at the Crossroads centre at 2 Redwood Street, Blenheim
(Tim is pictured with some of the team from Crossroads. Left to right: Clive Aitchison, Trish Scott, Graham Westenra, Karen McCulloch, Hapai Gerrard, Penny Banfield, Jeanine Sadd...with Tim Peipi)
Thank you to New World Blenheim for sponsoring our Volunteer of the Month Award.
