Mayor of Kitashiobara to visit Turangi

The long standing friendship between the Turangi-Tongariro community and their sister city Kitashiobara will be renewed in March when the Kitashiobara Mayor will accompany the annual student visitors.

Turangi-Tongariro Community Board Chairman, Clr Don Ormsby (Deputy Mayor) says it will be a pleasure to host the Mayor Mr Toshiichi Ogura. “When you think about it, it says a lot about the Turangi area that our Japanese visitors travel all the way here year after year, even in these tough economic times. Although it’s a long way to come, our visitors always go away raving about our little piece of paradise. This year it is a real honour that Mayor Ogura will also take the opportunity to visit. I believe he is very keen to do a spot of fly fishing.”

Turangi-Tongariro Community Board member Maggie Stewart is looking for host families to help out by inviting the students to stay with them for a few nights. “Our community are always such generous hosts. This year we have a party of two students and a party of three, so we would appreciate it if two local families would be able to help out with accommodation. The students arrive on Thursday 26 March and stay for three nights, departing on Sunday morning.” She says the students are kept pretty busy with full schedules so don’t require a huge amount of effort but appreciate the personal welcome that can only be found by being hosted in peoples homes.”

If anyone can accommodate the students, can they please call Maggie Stewart on 07 386 7656.