A shredding success by the elderly benefits animals

PDG Dr Philly Karani of the
Rotary Club of Somerville Howick shows how it is done.

Now who would have thought that a ubiquitous shredder would whip up so much excitement amongst the residents of Ambridge Rose Manor Private Hospital and Rest Home at Edgewater Drive in Pakuranga, Auckland, NZ?

The high performance shredder donated by the Rotary Club of Somerville Howick was the focus of attention as it was wheeled in by Ambridge Rose Manor Activities Coordinator Merilyn Griffiths. Merilyn handed out stacks of paper and suddenly there was a flurry of activity.

Resident Alex Mackie gives a demonstration.

“We’ve been unemployed for too long,” smiled David Miller, popularly known as the ‘champion shredder’ resident, who thoroughly enjoys the sense of purpose it gives him.

It was Merilyn’s husband David, a Course Coordinator and Lecturer at Unitec who came up with the ingenious idea of recycling tons of paper. David explained, “I’m encouraging all my colleagues to clean up their offices and give me their old stuff.” It was while he was shredding paper at home that his wife suggested that she could perhaps get the senior citizens at Ambridge Rose Manor to shred it instead.

David who collects dozens of boxes of paper and transports them to the rest home also ensures that the shredded paper gets to the animals in the zoo, to the animal hospital next to Unitec, and to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

“We were really pleased when the Rotary Club of Somerville Howick donated a high performance shredder that has a big safety feature. People of their age group who have lead a busy life, some of whom have been accountants, secretaries and in business. Suddenly feel they are of no use to society. Everyone feels a part of it, and they start talking and joking with one another. There is a sense of community and they are happy they can contribute back to society,” said grateful Merilyn.