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HOW IT ALL
BEGAN
In November last year our Community
Board was presented with some statistics about rural health and
other services in this area. As part of her presentation, Pauline
Carruthers, the local Plunket Nurse, District Nurse and at that
time only local practise nurse in the area, noted that we needed
more nurses and made the flippant comment that we should marry
some of our bachelors off to some nurses.
The Community Board took the
idea one step further and suggested to the local A & P Society
that it would arrange for the sponsor of the Dance for its Centenary
Show. We contacted Country
& City Contacts (NZ) Ltd. They are an Amberley-based
dating service that has had huge success in the rural areas,
especially of the South Island. Henk & Joy van Leir were
enthusiastic and supportive of the idea of publicising the dance
as a good place for their clients to meet each other and also
some of our bachelors.
A letter went out to Country
& City Contacts' members:
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Dear Country Contacts Member
While Country Contacts provides
a wonderful introductory service, we want to provide you with
a wonderful place to meet.
This year we are celebrating
the Centennial Strath Taieri A & P Easter Show here in Middlemarch.
As part of the weekend entertainment we have a dance on the Saturday
night. The popular Pog 'n' Scroggin Bush Band will be playing
and we want you to join us. Why? Well on the serious side we
have a reducing school role and threatened services as do many
rural areas. We also have a lot of eligible bachelors! So we
have thought this is a good way to deal with one problem and
maybe two. We also think it will provide you, both male and female,
with an opportunity to meet many others like you in a relaxed
and fun environment.
And yes there is more. We have
a prize for a member of Country Contacts that comes to the dance:
- Tickets for two on the world
famous Taieri Gorge Train
- A nights accommodation for
two at the Shannon-Lea Lodge
- A meal for two at the Strath
Taieri Hotel; and more. (Only members of of Country & City
Contacts will be eligible for prizes)
You will need to register at
the dance - only members of Country Contacts will be eligible
for the prize - but you need to be here to be in to win it.
The dance tickets will be $10
per ticket. If you need any more details of the show or Middlemarch
don't hesitate to ring me or look us up at http://www.countryandcitycontacts.co.nz/
Looking forward to seeing you
put your best foot forward at the dance.
Henk and Joy van
Lier
Country & City Contacts
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The Otago Daily Times
sported advertisements such as the one below and had daily updates
about the 'Love Train':
The train was sold out well
before the date with 200 bookings: 60% women and 40% men.
Meanwhile the local press followed
up on our meeting and asked us for progress reports - here are
their stories...
28 February 2001: Small
town seeks brides for shy 'men of the land' (New Zealand
Herald)
- and the letter from Taupo:
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Taupo, 7 March
2001
The Mayor of Middlemarch
Dear Sir
Saw the episode on TV recently
with regard to the shortage of women in your district. You may
be interested to know that here in Taupo we have a problem also
- we are short of men.
Quite a number of us could
see the humorous side of it and only wish that Middlemarch was
not so far away.
You may like to let your male
community know, we know how they feel!
Yours respectfully
(name withheld)
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Link to THE POST MORTEM
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