New Zealand Sign Language Week Highlights Inclusion at Fonterra Clandeboye
Last week marked New Zealand Sign Language Week and a South Canterbury tanker operator is sharing what it's like to be deaf in a busy Fonterra depot.
The tanker pull was one of three team events dreamed up by shift team manager Michael Woodfield who wanted to raise the stakes for their Cancer Society Relay for Life fundraiser.
Teams of four had to complete the three challenges, including pulling a truck for 50 metres, eating dry Weet-Bix and reversing a truck and trailer around a 90-degree angle corner. The tasks were timed and judged and were carried out at the depots at around 6am before the drivers went out for their dairy milk runs.
Raising money for Relay for Life every second year, Michael wanted to up the ante, and it worked, more than doubling their usual fundraising total, this year pulling in almost $3,000 between the depots and the local Fonterra manufacturing sites.
Michael explains that he was compelled to really give their Cancer Society fundraiser a boost this year because "the last 10 funerals I've been to have been because of cancer. It's an awful disease and it affects everyone in some way."
It was a tight competition, but Longburn depot's Blue Shift took out the number one title and Red Shift from rival depot Pahiatua came in at a close second. A trophy's been donated by Longburn manufacturing site. It's hoped with an official prize to fight for, the challenge will become a more regular feature, proving a little inter-depot rivalry can also do great things for a great cause.
