Omarama GazetteThe October Issue
The ‘Evo’ is landing
What began as an idea while “sat down” at the Pink Glider café a little less than a year ago is about to 'slingshot' into reality.
After a year-long fundraising effort a Skylaunch Evo - a stationary ground-based winch used to launch gliders - is expected to arrive at Omarama Airfield by the end of next month, Youth Glide New Zealand director of operations Roger Read said.
The plan is to have it up and running for this year’s Youth Soaring Development Camp in December, he said.
YGNZ president Tim Austen said the idea was first discussed at a meeting at the Pink Glider a little less than a year ago.
The group was trying to find ways to make entry into gliding more affordable and
accessible to young people.
One of the biggest costs in gliding is launch fees – gliders can be taken into the air by a tow plane, ‘sling-shotted' up by a winch, or some motorised craft are 'self-launching'.
To encourage more young people to take up gliding the "logical focus" turned to ways to reduce costs, Mr Read said.
An aerotow launch to 2000 ft costs $70 to $100. Use of a winch can reduce the cost to about $30.
The project to raise funds ...
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Jake's Hardware
In Twizel, you know spring has arrived when Ali starts laying out trays of bedding plants, filled to bursting with colour, along under the Jake’s Hardware veranda in the Market Place.
It’s been seven years almost to the day – October 1 - since the Preston-Marshall family moved to Twizel bringing their family brand of enthusiasm and ‘can-do’ approach to town, and to what was Twizel Hardware. Jake and Ali, Anna, Phoebe, Tim, Nick and Luke Preston-Marshall arrived as earthquake refugees, and, having put the challenges of living in the red zone behind them, set out to grasp the opportunities which lay ahead. At the time, the children ranged in age from seven to 15 and all were home-schooled. These days all but Anna have ‘flown the coop’ to various pursuits, all with a sound grounding in business skills learnt ‘at foot’ by making their own individual contribution to ‘Jake’s’.
It’s part of what makes the store the unique place it is. That, and the wide Mackenzie landscape which is the inspiration that underpins and drives the business. It’s not a trip to Twizel without a visit to Jake’s.
Jake’s Hardware has most bases covered. It is by no means an understatement to say they really do have “a bit of everything”.
Toys, camping equipment, gifts and quality tools, paint, homewares, pet supplies are just some of the goods to be found. Their definitive collection of European board-games sprang from a family hobby. Good old-fashioned lucky dips have always been a great treat for the many visiting children.
Fishing is a mainstay, with a large range of rods, reels, lures and other gear at competitive prices, and the staff includes some keen fishing enthusiasts.
For those travelling the Alps 2 Ocean trails, or just out for a ride, the store has a great stock of cycling supplies. Plus, with cycling experience and his engineering background, Jake offers on-the-spot cycle service and maintenance.
But back to Spring at the store when gardening supplies are in full focus.
There is everything you could need to get into your garden for the new season.
There are the plants. Aside from the bedding plants – veggies as well as flowers – there are shrubs, herbs and sturdy potted-up roses. There are seeds to grow your own, and potting mix, fertilisers and all the tools to bed them in. And if there something you’d just love which they don’t stock Ali is more than happy to order it in. She says she “loves it” when people enquire because she gets to discover new plants as well.
Jake's Hardware
24 Market Place, Twizel
P: 03 435 0881
E: hardware@jakes.co.nz
W: www.jakes.co.nz
F: facebook.com/jakeshardware