Short Stories By Our Residents

Ron Druett, maritime artist, 1934-2020 died at Te Hopai.

His wife Joan shared a link to stories of his life 

https://joan-druett.blogspot.com/2020/02/ron-druett-maritime-artist-1934-2020.html

Jim Van Praag
The Rotary Club of Wellington South
Life Membership

I was a member of New Zealand Jaycee, which is an excellent training ground for service as well as public speaking and chairmanship. After finishing up as Chairman of the National Executive of New Zealand Jaycee, comprising over 100 clubs throughout New Zealand, I was invited to join The Rotary Club of Wellington South in 1966 where I served for almost 53 years in every capacity.

I appreciate ‘The Life Membership Award’ and the Afternoon Tea Function at Te Hopai. I have also received the Paul Harris Fellows Award and Paul Harris Fellowship Sapphire Pin. I may not be able to hang my latest award on the wall as not enough space; my walls are filled with artwork and family photographs.

I have been connected to both Rotary South Wellington and Te Hopai for many years, I can recall about 20 years ago when I was a Board Member taking Te Hopai residents out on organised events. It was a regular project, where we took residents out on organised days, usually an afternoon, for a picnic. We supplied the food!! It never ever occurred to me that one day, I would be one of those residents at Te Hopai. When I required care (nearly two years ago), I chose Te Hopai because of my connection with Pakize Sari (General Manager). At the time of our first meeting, I was the eldest member of Wellington South Rotary and she was the newest. I think now how wonderful it would be for Rotary Members to recommence such outings, but most of the members are old themselves, and such clubs now find it hard to attract younger members.

These outings now require skilled caregivers - skills that most Rotary members do not have. I am also delighted that some of the staff at Te Hopai have been awarded the Rotary Pride of Workmanship Award. Some of the Staff here treat me like a family member – I have them trained for my 4.00pm whisky, not too strong and in the glass I prefer!

Could not find more pleasant or helpful staff anywhere.

This (donation gift to staff) is in appreciation for the services and care given to me by staff (caregivers, cleaners & laundry) over the 4 years I have been here. I want to say thanks for the very good service & care I have been given, like the time I had bronchitis and was in a terrible state. I didn’t want to go to hospital, leaving my care under Dr Wilson, Lillian and the Registered Nurses at Te Hopai. I feel appreciated by the good work they did for me and respecting my wishes to be cared for here.

The Te Hopai story teller is quite good because she drew me out on many things I had forgotten about. She touched on matters that were important and important to other people. Because they are not told – needs to come from us. I don’t think my story is particularly interesting to me, but could be interesting to others.

The support given to establish relationships with others of your ilk is very good.

I’ve been at Te Hopai about two years but it feels like forever.

The staff are thoughtful.

My family chose for me (to live at Te Hopai), so it stood out to them from other facilities.

It has a good reputation around the town and good warm community feel as a whole.

We have fun together. The people who need looking after are looked after well.

Hector Hopkins is neither here nor there about his age. 

He's 101 and pretty glad to have made it this far. He has galloped past the family's benchmark for a long life set by his aunt who made it to 98. "I talk to myself sometimes and ask 'What am I still doing here?' I don't know why. Maybe it was all my running for the Harriers when I was a young man. I don't know when I'll go. I don't want to know. It's better that way."

Cared for now in Wellington's Te Hopai Home, he is surrounded by pictures of his family. There are three children, ten grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. A photograph of him in his army uniform on the day of his wedding to Dorothy six weeks after returning from World War II sits above his bed. Hector Hopkins, 102, says he has no great perspective on life. "I've just lived it." "I asked her to marry me a year before I went off to war so we had a five year engagement. I remember arriving back at New Plymouth railway station in 1945 and there she was with my mother and father. It was a wonderful moment." He and Dorothy were married for 67 years until her death at 95, five years ago.

A pile of empty envelopes on his desk scribbled with various lists jog his memory when the need arises. When he talks about his childhood, though, he needs no prompting. One of four siblings he was born in 1916 in New Plymouth. As children they made their own fun, he says. "We used to play with tyres - one of us would be inside the tyre while the other pushed them along the road. "We would go eeling with our cousins in a stream at the back of our property. Got a six pounder once. We got it home, skinned it and my aunt cooked it up for breakfast the next morning."

When World War II broke out he volunteered for the Army and was shipped out to Egypt. About war, he will not say much. "My grandson came to me years ago and asked how many Germans I'd killed. I said 'I'm afraid soldiers don't talkabout those things.' "In both wars, there was such a terrible loss of life, particularly in the Great War, men were just mown down. War is a terrible thing. Why we had them I don't know."