Life Members

Two sisters who have had many years' connection with the Poverty Bay and East Coast Piping and Dancing Association were made life members of the organisation recently.

They are Mrs Colleen Parker, 18 Centennial Crescent (left) and Mrs Joyce Nigro, 74 Ormond Road (right).

Mrs Parker started her National Dancing career at the age of nine and was trained for ten years by the late Duncan MacLennan, of Edinburgh. She had many successes in her career, winning more than 300 cups and trophies. She was the first lady piper in the district, an art which she studied for five years.

Teaching and judging have played a big part in Mrs Parker's life and she has acted as examiner, demonstrator and technical member of the New Zealand Academy since it was formed in 1948. She was made a life member of that association in 1952.

She has adjudicated at competitions throughout the country for the past 30 years.

Mrs Nigro has been a member of the Poverty Bay and East Coast Piping and Dancing Association since 1947. In those 21 years she has spent a total of 14 years as secretary-treasurer of the organisation in a quiet and efficient fashion.

She is the mother of Gillian Nigro (Mrs Clout), a teacher and adjudicator in Gisborne. Mrs Nigro is also a life member of the Competitions Society.