Celebrations marking 50 years of the Maniototo Community Trust last Friday highlighted the benefits of thinking outside the box.
More than 70 people gathered to celebrate the anniversary at a lunch in Ranfurly.
Otago Sparks cricketer and Maniototo legend Caitlin Blakely gave a candid speech full of funny stories and backstage tales that highlighted how pivotal growing up in the Maniototo was to her career.
She donated one of her playing tops which was snapped up in the auction later in the afternoon.
Last-minute guest auctioneer Stu Duncan extracted great prices for items, which ranged from trailer loads of firewood to artwork.
In 1965 the Maniototo County Council bought the Ranfurly Hotel. The sale caused a scandal and ended up in the Supreme Court, at Dunedin, in 1970.
The court found in favour of the council.
Then in 1974 the council sold the hotel to establish a local charitable trust, which held 50% of the shares in the hotel along with New Zealand Breweries.
At a function to announce that venture New Zealand Breweries donated $5000 to the trust — at a time when the average weekly wage was $95. From the hotel sale the council gave the trust its initial working capital of $70,700.
The first grant was made to the Maniototo Area School to buy a 16mm film projector.
The county council gave the trust a final gift of $50,000 to recognise the end of its 111 years of governance.
Funds had been received from a diverse range of groups over the half-century, from the wind-up of the Maniototo Televiewers Society and proceeds from celebrations at the completion of the Maniototo Irrigation Scheme, to proceeds from a gaming machine purchased by the trust for $10,652 in 1988.
Grants have been made to many groups, including the Ranfurly Ladies Bowling Club, the Ranfurly swimming pool and the new Maniototo Christmas tree, which was first lit last year.
