Appointment of our new Events & Volunteer Coordinator
Here's a bit more news from the team. At GAP we could not operate without the amazing strength of our many volunteers around the country, so we decided to give them some guidance. We welcome Denis Putt as our new Events & Volunteer Coordinator. Our area coordinators who are responsible for holding events around the country will report to Denis.
Denis has been with GAP for many years, most recently as Area Coordinator for Taranaki. He is based in New Plymouth and... well, I just let him speak for himself:
"What do you do when your kids leave home?? Get a dog obviously. After a lot of research, Jenny and I settled on a greyhound and we adopted Molly (Primo – Sexy Girl) in 2008. We lost Molly which was heart-breaking, but she taught us to love dogs and especially greyhounds. We now have had Evie, or she has had us, for seven years. At 10 years old she is now a senior but she is also a Diva and attends virtually every event. A year ago we also adopted a very timid Poppy (then Bambi) who has come on leaps and bounds since then.
I immediately began volunteering for GAP on adopting Molly, shared the Area Coordinator after a few years and then took it on by myself. It all blends into itself but I guess it must be three to four years now as Area Coordinator. I’ve looked after the GAP Givealittle page for a few years, spent a little time applying for grants for equipment GAP has needed and have also been a home checker. I have a great team around me here in Taranaki and it is crystal clear to me that the GAP volunteers are absolutely critical to GAPs success.
Away from GAP, I have a career in health and safety. With 22 years working in the area I decided to start my own business three years ago and do contract work. My main focus now is on providing asbestos clearances after a removal has occurred. I am married (35 years) to Jenny, have two sons and two grandchildren (surely I’m not that old), still enjoy playing a bit of cricket and Wednesday night is quiz night.
I am so excited about being able to contribute even more to GAP and working with our many dedicated volunteers."
If you have an event idea or want GAP to be part of your event, get in touch with Denis on denis@gap.co.nz or call him on 021 456 461.