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Many babies’ lives could be saved thanks to Orewa Lions Club’s decision to fund the purchase of a Mondiale Lifepod incubator.
The money for the innovative neonatal incubator came from the community who purchased tickets for the Lions’ Mother’s Day Raffle. The raffle raised $1600; Lions topped up the amount to the $2000 required to buy a Lifepod.
Orewa Lions president Mandy Hebben, along with Lions Laurie Rands and Lorna Maddock presented the cheque to the inventor of the Lifepod, Sir Ray Avery, in Auckland on July 13.
Mandy says that the Lifepod will go to a Pacific Island country, where it is desperately needed – Orewa Lions are in a district that includes a portion of the Pacific, including Samoa and Fiji.
“That area has taken the brunt of extreme weather events and we agreed it was a good idea to do something to assist in this part of the world.”
Sir Ray says the Lifepods are only now being produced commercially, in India, after prototypes were built at the end of 2014 and comprehensive testing and certification took place last year. He has forward orders for 200 units.
He says that Orewa Lions’ pod could be among the first commercial batch to be deployed in the Pacific region early next year.
“There are few, if any, incubators in the outlying Pacific Islands and even in the larger provincial areas the hospital incubators break down within one year of use,” Sir Ray says. “By contrast the Mondiale Lifepod Incubator has been specifically designed to work in the challenging developing world environment.”
Sir Ray’s invention is designed to be reliable and easy to use, with simple maintenance, in countries and situations where there are difficult conditions. This includes places with poorly resourced healthcare facilities, and inconsistent power and water supplies.
The pods purify their own air and water. Each one can function for at least 10 years without servicing and it is estimated that each incubator can save the lives of more than 500 infants during its lifespan.
Clubs, schools, businesses and community groups, as well as individuals, can raise funds for Lifepods. Info: https://thelifepod.co.nz
The Big Dig resurfaces
Orewa Lions is pulling out all the stops and is determined to bring its popular Big Dig event back this summer, as well as revamping it with some additional ‘bells and whistles’.
The Big Dig has been held for 34 years. It involves hiding prize tickets in the sand on Orewa Beach for children to dig up – a formula that has drawn thousands of locals and holidaymakers to Orewa.
Last summer the event was cancelled and its long-term future was in doubt due to insufficient manpower, declining sponsorship and a misunderstanding over Council fees.
President Mandy Hebben says that all these issues can be successfully resolved this time around, and the timing of the event has made things easier.
At a meeting early this month, the volunteers settled on Saturday, January 21 for the next event, and the first stages of the resource consent process are underway.
“We want to change it up a bit and have more than just the dig going on,” Mandy says.
Legacy project for Orewa
New furnishings are in the pipeline for Orewa Beach Reserve after Orewa Lions made this the focus for their centenary project. Next year, Lions internationally celebrates 100 years of service to the community and all clubs have been asked to come up with a centennial project. Orewa Lions are working with Hibiscus & Bays Local Board chair Julia Parfitt, prison carvers and Northland Kauri to put up new benches and tables on Orewa Reserve.
The furniture will replace planter boxes installed on the reserve, (opposite BP Petrol station) in 1982, also by Lions. The boxes have become rundown as Council says there is no budget to maintain them. The new kauri furniture, featuring beach themed carvings and an inscription, will be maintained by Lions. The organisation hopes to have the tables and benches in place by this summer, but there are a number of potential hurdles and as long as they are there by the Lions centenary next June, the group will be happy.
