Southland District Council ( SDC) Mayor, Gary Tong presented Noeline Adam with her Community Service award, alongside another local recipient Margo Shaw, surrounded by family and friends in Te Anau recently.

Noeline and Ken Adam have lived in the Te Anau basin for most of their married life having won a Lands and Survey farm ballot there, with their whole life seeming to focus around contributing to the community.

They were both very active in raising money, working and participating in the decisions to build the Vicarage beside the Anglican Church, St Michael and All Angels, over 30 years ago along with the recent extensions to the church.

Noeline’s special gift has been through her musical talents, playing the organ nearly every Sunday for over 30 years, or if she was going to be away she played the music on to a tape so the hymns and songs of praise were still part of the services. Not only did she play for the Anglicans, but she also played in all the other churches in Te Anau when needed, for ecumenical services, weddings and funerals alongside local schools’ events.

She was part of all the church activities such as AAW and Vestry and became the Pastoral Team convenor when the parish became a Local Shared Ministry Parish.

Music was a major part of the reason she was given the SDC Community award as she played the piano for Fiordland Players theatre group annual productions , giving hours of service in that capacity after she joined in the early 1990s, alongside being secretary and treasurer at various times.

Fiordland Community House has seen Noeline as a regular volunteer since it opened.

There were several farewells and gifts given, alongside thankfulness for both Ken and Noeline’s long service to the Te Anau community with best wishes going with them to Darfield as they move their retirement home to be nearer family.