Eric Peterson is described as “one of life’s good guys” by those who know him because at 85 he is still busy helping people around him.
The Arvida Oakwoods retirement village resident drives the van on outings for residents, picks up prescriptions every weekday, goes grocery shopping for those who are not able to do it themselves and he also drives the buggy at the hospital to get people to and from the carpark. Up until last year, he was still a marshal for the Waimea Swim Club, organising young swimmers at competitions around the South Island.
To stay fit for his busy schedule and keep mobile, he goes to a Richmond gym three times a week.
“I go to the gym to keep me active enough to keep going. That’s why I do the drug run; it gives you a purpose in life. I enjoy what I do and the people appreciate it, so that’s what it’s all about.”
The ‘drug run’ started during Covid-19 when residents needed prescriptions and couldn’t pick them up. Someone from the pharmacy would deliver the prescriptions to the gate and Eric put his hand up for the job of bringing them into the village. After Covid-19, he picked them up from the pharmacy and delivered them to the village to hand out because so many residents were not able to get to the pharmacy to pick up their prescriptions.
For four years now, he has been bringing a trolley of prescriptions from the pharmacy five days a week.
On Tuesdays, he is a casual van driver in the village to take residents out and about, usually stopping at a café for a coffee.
“Many are from the apartments and it’s about company for them. I just asked if they needed a driver. Been doing that for ages - a fair number of years now.”
On Thursday, a vanload of residents heads out to Rabbit Island, including some from the village’s care facilities, with Eric on hand to drive a second van if needed. The same day, he gets a few grocery items for any residents who need them.
“There’s quite a few who don’t have cars, so I do the shopping for anyone who needs something.”
It suits, because he’s “been in grocery” all his life, starting out in an after-school job at the local grocer in Stoke and ending up as a buyer for Foodstuffs in Nelson.
Then, twice a month he heads to the hospital to drive its buggy, picking up people who need help getting to and from the carpark. That’s a role he has now had for 16 years, though he says he is not doing another winter as it’s getting too cold for him.
“It can be quite busy sometimes – the busiest morning has been 22 people. I had a very good friend in Rotary which sponsors the cart and he asked me if I would drive it and I said yes, of course I would.”
Though he marshalled for the swim club for the last time last year, he is still involved with the club and says he will keep going to the carnivals. He has been with the club since 1984, travelling throughout the South Island with young swimmers and enjoying their success, while creating life-long friendships.
Eric says he likes to be busy – and he simply enjoys helping people. Like they said, he’s one of life’s good guys.
