If a trio of halls could talk, they would probably spend most of their time thanking Janice Aston for three decades of booking the weddings, birthdays, classes, and regular events which took place within their walls.
But the Motueka woman doesn’t want to be in a hall of fame adorned above where she’s walked and made spick and span for those who’ve gathered.
Her hallmark is “someone needs to do it” and takes pride in pencilling bookings in her calendars and diaries, keeping keys, and maintaining the character of both the Lower Moutere Memorial Hall and Scout Den for two decades and the Motueka Highland Pipe Band hall for 31 years.
She describes the band hall as “an extension of your family home lounge” and was where it all began after attending meetings there when her son played the cornet in the Motueka Brass Band, another regular user of the facility.
"I kind of ended up with this role, and I just carried on because someone needs to do it, and I enjoy following up on all sorts of bookings."
"I do what I do because these halls are used often, and they're lovely facilities, and there's probably a lot of people who couldn't do it because of time constraints," she says.
"I'm only a volunteer, but the Lower Moutere Memorial Hall, it's a lovely complex, and if I didn't [look after] it, it would be shut."
Admittedly "fussy about standards", Janice's responsibilities include cleaning floors and windows, topping up paper towels, toilet paper and dishwashing liquid, and organising commercial contractors for maintenance and upgrades.
"You've got to stick to your basic standards, and it's all written on a contract what I expect from people [who use the halls], and they're pretty jolly good about it," she says.
"When they return the key, they just say it was so lovely. People comment about how nice the hall is, and all I say is, 'well, I'm very pleased to hear it'. I'm not interested in self-praise."
While officially retired, Janice has no plans to stop any time soon.
“I'm meant to be retired, but that's a strange word, I'll continue as long as I'm physically able.”
Janice has also been a volunteer at Motueka High School’s second-hand school uniform shop for four decades.
