27 caravans and campervans accepted the invitation from the Wairarapa Caravan Club to come to Carterton Holiday Park and join in the celebrations on their 70th birthday. That’s a long time for any club to be in existence, especially one that started in 1940 during the War years. The wonderful warm Wairarapa sunshine made the weekend all the more enjoyable, as caravan friends from near and far renewed their friendship. The weekend festivities started on Friday with a Wine and Cheese Evening. We mixed and mingled, caught up with old friends, and introduced ourselves to folk we hadn’t met before.
The Wairarapa guys got busy with the barbeques at midday Saturday for the Sausage Sizzle. The huge overhanging branches of the golden elm trees provided us with welcome shade as we sat chatting, with the delicious smell of sausages and onions cooking wafting around. A piece of bread complete with a barbequed sausage, onions and tomato sauce, what could be nicer or more tasty for an informal lunch?
That night a bus was provided to take us down to Carterton RSA club for the Celebration Dinner. Club members from years gone by had been contacted and invited to attend so there was much reminiscing between the Wairarapa Club members. The meal was very tasty, and the conversations and banter were flowing freely.
After dinner, Harry, the current President of the Wairarapa Club, related a potted history. The club started in 1940 and in those days, the caravans were home made. The first Annual Subscription was set at 5 shillings, and in September 1940 the Club was invited to attend the the opening of the new Martinborough Camp Grounds and Swimming Poll complex. Wairarapa Club maintains a good relationship with other local clubs, and Harry made mention of the special friendship between Wairarapa and Heretaunga Clubs, we have been both friends and competitors over the years. Craig Silbury, President of CCNZ, presented the club with an inscribed hammer and gavel from the CCNZ organisation. The cake was cut by Una, an early club member who was one of the special guests at the dinner.
The weekend rally concluded with the Sunday Morning Tea, taken once again outside in the sunshine. The Wairarapa Club thanked everyone for coming from near and far to make the 70th Birthday Celebrations such a success. Thanks, Wairarapa, for a great weekend.
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