A Passion for Life, And Her City

Media Release

Date: 4 October 2013

A Passion for Life, And Her City

Faye Clark is a woman with a passion for her family, her friends, her life – and the city in which she lives.

The 70-year-old has been around the traps of Hamilton, holding high profile roles and getting involved in her community since becoming a resident some 23 years ago.

Until she was diagnosed with cancer in 2004 that is, when she took early retirement.
Today, she is still fighting the fight and says she feels privileged to have been able to vote and have her say in the Hamilton City Council elections this year.

“We can be so restrained by life, can’t we?” she says from her hospital chair, receiving a bone strengthening infusion – a regular three-monthly appointment she holds at Waikato Hospital.

“To have the opportunity to have your voice heard is a wonderful thing. It’s not something I take for granted anyway.”

Ms Clarke held the Hamilton City Council’s Director of Libraries role for many years, and was a Justice of the Peace and a marriage celebrant in Hamilton as well.
She’s walked amongst many walks of life and attended more weddings and funerals than she can remember.

She says there have been times in her professional life when she has “felt quite punch drunk by society” but has never followed the crowd and feels it’s important to speak up.

“You can’t complain if you don’t.”

One of the key issues Ms Clark was pleased to have had her say on when she filled out her voting papers this week was fluoride.

“I really enjoyed giving fluoride in the water a very big tick in Hamilton because I truly believe in its value. Teeth are so important.

“That’s why I religiously gave my children fluoride tablets as they were growing up [in Waiuku].

“In those days, a lot of people my age were having their teeth extracted as young as 18,19 and 20 years old.”

Why didn’t Ms Clark, then?

“Oh I went against the grain even back then. I guess I always have,” she replies cheekily.

“But water fluoridation was recommended even then by Plunket as being important for children. And it still is today,” she said.

Ms Clark said she strongly supports the science and facts of water fluoridation as presented by experts whose integrity she trusts, naming Professor of Dentistry at Otago Medical School, John Thomson and Sir Peter Gluckman in particular.

But regardless of your position, it’s all about making it known for Ms Clark.

“I have my children and grandchildren here in Hamilton and I want it to continue to be the kind of place they will be happy living and the kind of place I will be happy for them to live.

“This city has done me well, really.”

Now that she has had her vote, Ms Clark will continue to share her passion for life with those who are fortunate enough to know her.

With her community involvement taking a different tack these days, she says her mates at the Red Hat Society, Probus, Continuing Education for the Over 60s and Aquacise will get her spiel on the importance of voting as well if they haven’t already filled out their papers.

Voting for the Hamilton City Council elections and water fluoridation referendum closes at 12noon on Saturday 12 October.

ENDS

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