Rotary Waiheke club member Leighton Langley recently visited Aitutaki in the Cook Islands and provided three of the local schools with much needed teaching resources. With the guidance and help from the Rarotonga Rotary club, Leighton provided each school with a pack which included Dictionaries, biros, felt pens, marker pens, coloured pencils & sports balls. The local teaching staff were very grateful for the support.
Photo includes: Leighton Langley (far left), "Junior" Pauka - Principal (centre) and Robyn Langley (far right) with school prefects.
The idea had come from Leighton as a follow-on, after he gifted some rugby balls in Samoa while on holiday there a few years ago.
Leighton and Robyn had already booked a holiday to Aitutaki, and wanted to do something similar for the schools there.
Leighton initially got in touch with the president of Rarotonga Rotary (Caroline Medway-Smith) who put him in touch with Shelley Tavai, one of the teachers on the island.
Shelley responded enthusiastically to the idea, and said that any contribution would be gratefully received as the schools there were always short on resources.
Leighton shared the idea with the Waiheke Rotary club at one of their regular weekly meetings, and was met with a great response - members contributing supplies of their own, and cash to purchase more. In total over 14Kg of goods was donated.
Photo: Araura College - Gaylyn Lockington, Principal, Shelley Tavai, teacher and Leighton Langley
Photo: Vaitau Primary School – Eve Reea (Principal) and Leighton Langley with other teachers and pupils.
Photo: A view of the school resources distributed prior to packaging