The highly successful Stonefields School/ Rotary Community Fair – now its fifth straight year on Saturday 15 October – is to be boosted by a major new attraction, a specially designed military-style obstacle course created on site by New Zealand Cadet Forces Unit, No. 19 (Auckland) Squadron, Air Training Corps, under the command of experienced Flight Lieutenant Liz Martin, NZCF.
 
This is the first time this activity has been offered outside a military event.
 
But there is so much more for all the family!  Come along and have some fun.
 
The young children’s Teddy Bear Hospital, where dedicated and charming young medical trainees from Auckland University demonstrate how easy and non-threatening it becomes for the young when they see their favourite fluffy-toy being gently examined by a doctor.
 
Plus, debuting at the event will be ‘My Milkman’ – a daily delivery service of milk and fresh bread, initially for Stonefields residents. All your questions on their broader plans will be answered at their Fair stall.
 
For parents wary of what the military obstacle course might entail, FL Martin has reassuring words: “Obviously we're not going to have barbed wire and raised poles to jump across, but we'll set up a course which involves ‘camming up’ with some ‘cammo’ (camouflage) face paint; a tyre run; leap-frog walk); and a commando crawl under a cammo net, and over some wooden planks.
 
“It's an activity being done as a joint venture with the Panmure-based Maungarei Cadet Unit, the closest NZCF Unit to Stonefields. Both units will bring along some gear and we'll be able to put together a great course,” says the Commander, who lives nearby in Mt Wellington (and is no relation to Stonefields’ principal, Sarah Martin).
 
The plan is to provide an individual course for the younger ones, and a team competition for the older youngsters, (teams of 3 or 5 depending on the uptake), with the added challenge of having to carry one of the team members on a stretcher through the course. Prices are $2 for the individual course and $5 a team.
 
FLTLT Martin is currently exploring the opportunity for a camouflage face paint competition, for the less adventurous, and nominating various visiting personalities to get a full cammo face paint done by one of the officers or NCOs.
 
“How about a VIP or the Rotary President, at a particular time of the day having to get painted up?” says Mrs Martin who has served in 19 Squadron for 19 years and is the recently appointed commanding officer.
 
 
The now traditional mix of a range of delicious food and fun stalls, singing, dancing and kapa-haka and sports displays draws thousands of primary school children – and their parents -- from right across the Eastern Bay suburbs.
 
Local MP Simon O’Connor will again open the Fair and then take his place in the stocks to be pelted with damp sponges.
 
Rotary profits from the event are re-invested in community sponsorships supporting youth development in the area.
 
 
For more info: Kevin Kevany, 021 577 211 / kevwrite@xtra.co.nz 
                             FLTLT Liz Martin, 021 210 6087 / Liz.martin@cadetforces.org.nz
                            Ellie             Bramwell, 09 527 7721 / ellie@stonefields.school.nz