9 down 3 stations to go

Well another great weekend and the weather has been so good to me. I travelled down to the Southern Fire Region to Frankton Volunteer Fire Brigade in the Queenstown Fire District. The Frankton Fire Station must have one of he most beautiful out looks in New Zealand. The Lake and snow capped Remarkables can be viewed standing at the Station. Frankton has not long updated its truck to nearly brand new and is a Fire-Crash Rescue Appliance.

The 2 girls I photographed for the calendar are Donna Sullivan and Rebecca (Becz) Wylie.

Donna is 39, married with 2 teenage daughters. She has been with the Fire Service for 6 years, spending 10 months at the Hawarden Fire Brigade before moving to Frankton where her husband set up business flying Para gliders in Queenstown. She is a Qualified Fire-fighter and joined the Brigades to help her community. Donna took part in the first ever all Women Road Crash Rescue Team in 2004 along with the girls from Queenstown, as the cutter, they gained 2nd to the Champions in the unlimited event. She has also had a go at the very physical Combat Challenge for the first time this year with Becz and they certainly didn't embarrass themselves, both finishing the course.

Donna works in the Queenstown Branch of the ANZ Bank. She has a Brown Belt in Shotokan Karate and also has a vast knowledge about all aspects of the training and management of horses.

Becz is 25 years and been with the Frankton Brigade for 10months. Her rank is Fire Fighter. Becz has wanted to be a fire-fighter since she was a little squirt. She said she was initially put off in her teenage years as people would laugh at her contemplating the thought, often saying that she wouldn't be able to handle it being too small and anyway it was a blokes thing! Well they should be eating their words now, she is part of a great team and has the passion and determination to move up the ranks. She was with the Ambulance Service for 1 1/2 years. She works at the Frankton Dental Surgery as a Dental Assistant and her boss Judy Sim lets her go to the calls when ever the siren goes. Becz loves the outdoors and its many activities such as white water kayaking, mountain biking, tramping and at the moment her boyfriend is teaching her to ski. She also likes to do a bit of Highland dancing.

Before we headed out to the photo shoot, the girls had their make up and hair done by Paulette Meikle of Paulette-Anne Hair Design, Queenstown, Phone 0276554011

After the photos were taken the girls decided I needed to do something Queenstown, my first thoughts were, I'm not jumping off a perfectly good bridge on a rubber band, but thankfully they kept closer to land and surprised me with a boat ride on the Shotover Jets. Thanks girls for the great experience, I have always been too chicken to do it, Wow I loved every minute of it. Also Thank You to Shotover Jets for their generosity to the 3 of us, it was very much appreciated.