May 26 2026
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Firefighting leader is top citizen u by Andy Bryenton
The Rotary Club of Dargaville bestows only a single citizen’s award each year, making it a rare and prestigious accolade for the recipient.
Horses for hospice The Pakōtai Parakao Community Group donated a total of $45,000 to North Haven and Kaipara Hospice last week, following its biggest horse trek …
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Creativity wins The Fosters Silage Bale Painting Art winners were awarded their prizes last week, with Kaihū Valley School gaining favour as the People’s Choice …
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Review a vote of confidence Ruawai College has received a very positive report from the Education Review Office, following its visit …
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p Leading electoral official Karl Le Quesne and Rotarian Brian Burnett
p Award winner Jeffrey Palmer, Dargaville firefighting veteran
This year, the pro-social community group conferred this honour on a man who has exemplified service to his fellow citizens, in a career which began in 1980. Former chief fire officer of the Dargaville Volunteer Fire Brigade, Jeffrey Palmer, was lauded for his many years of service in often dangerous circumstances; a legacy ongoing under the tenure of current CFO Jason Campbell. ‘Every time that siren goes off, whether it be day or night, a firefighter responds,’ read the official dissertation, which accompanied the award. It also noted Mr Palmer had found time in his busy schedule to support other local groups, including the Scouts, the Dargaville Club and Selwyn Park School, where he served on the board of trustees. Jeffrey has served 46 years in the boots and protective garb of a firefighter, and is still an intrinsic part of the firefighting team safeguarding people and property
Those singled out for specific praise were the team that delivered Northland Field Days’ operational support, the helpers who hosted the Dargaville Christmas Parade, school reading programme participants, colleagues in social philanthropy the Lions, and donors Mercury Energy. The firm behind the big Kaiwaikawe wind farm project was represented on stage by Katie Scoullar, while Rotary exchange student Alina Servaye, a guest from Belgium, also gave an engaging address about her experiences in New Zealand. The keynote speaker of the night was Karl Le Quesne, the top electoral official in New Zealand, who shared his candid thoughts on the massive job of planning for the forthcoming general election. His insights into the mechanism of democracy were followed by a round of illuminating questions from the audience. ¢
out of the Dargaville station. As station officer, he’s worked in every level of the brigade, coming up from trainee to leader of the local firefighters. Jeffrey says that his initial inspiration came from Barry Searle, who was CFO of the Te Kōpuru brigade in 1980. His obvious passion for the job and his dedication to helping others in their time of need sparked, he says, “my enthusiasm to get out there and do my best.” While Mr Palmer could not attend personally, due to family commitments, the rest of the engagement was filled with further surprises. Rotary leader Brian Burnett took the time to thank those who had assisted with the many projects the group undertook in the preceding 12 months, before inviting some special guest speakers to take the podium. “It has been a real privilege this year to see so many aspects of our work to which you have contributed,” he said.
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