Good Sorts - Martyn Jensen

Reflecting on the legacy of his volunteering efforts, farmer Martyn Jensen (78) says, “You’ll always know whether you’ve done the right thing by the outcome…If it leaves a smile on somebody else's dial, I feel happier.”

Martyn grew up on his family’s farm in Hawkes Bay and after leaving school he undertook farm work and shearing, joining the local Young Farmers club at his neighbour’s encouragement.

In 1994, Martyn and wife Gloria, a schoolteacher, purchased farmland in Waimate and moved south with their three children, Kristen, Anita and Carl, who now runs the property.

The need for improved irrigation on his farm saw Martyn become involved in the Morven, Glenavy, Ikawai Irrigation Company (MGI) at a time when it was undergoing significant development.  “Rules and regulations on environmental and water use and all that sort of thing were changing,” he says of his years as MGI’s director. “A lot went on in those years and that’s when they put water into Waihao Downs and a lot of places like that. A lot of growth. That was a full-on time.”

Martyn is a strong believer that you need to “stand up and be counted” if you want to see things happen within your community and over the years he has been involved in groups such as Pro-Ject Waimate and Bushtown, where he served as vice-chair during the time they undertook the relocation of a donated sawmill onto site.

Prior to the family’s move south, Martyn was introduced to Rotary in 1989 when his daughter Kristen secured the opportunity to go to Australia for a 3-month “matched twin exchange.” This piqued Martyn’s interest in Rotary and its volunteering initiatives. “I decided that if they’re going to send my daughter to Australia, I want to know a little bit about them.”  Since then, the Jensen’s have hosted exchange students from all over the world.

The Rotary Foundation also offer a Group Study Exchange (GSE) for adults and Martyn was team leader during a 6-week trip to Finland in 2001. The group travelled overseas together and were then billeted out to host families, making connections within that district according to their professional vocation.
“But it was just as much actually staying with the families in their home, in their own environment, that had more input to me,” recalls Martyn. “That experience - eating, sleeping, being part of their family.” English was not always one of the multiple languages spoken by the host families, which he describes as “a brilliant learning curve.”

Martyn has been awarded Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellowship (PHF) with two sapphires and in 2003 he was nominated to be governor of the Rotary district, which at that time spanned the bottom half of the South Island. This was an involved 3-year process, Martyn explains, requiring involvement in the district board and many activities, traveling overseas for training as district governor elect in the second year, selecting his support team and finally becoming governor in the third year.

Once his demanding term as governor came to an end, Martyn was wondering how best to put all that valuable experience to use when someone suggested volunteering at Centrecare Counselling.  Martyn came on board the community-funded organisation and was serving as chair when the need arose for Centrecare to relocate from its address at Lister Home.

This move necessitated discussion on how to future-proof the facility and whether Centrecare could purchase its own property. “And boy, that was a challenge, but we did,” says Martyn of the purchase and renovation of the organisation’s current premises at 3 Queen Street. The achievement was funded by donations from the community and organisations such as the Lotteries Commission and Mid & South Canterbury Community Trust.

In 2016, Centrecare Counselling received a Waimate Civic Award for its service to the community. Martyn says that the organisation has experienced significant growth and now facilitates over 300 visitations per year. “If I can be proud of anything, I'm really proud of how that organisation has done,” states Martyn. He describes his involvement with Centrecare as an activity which “ticks all the boxes” and has found personal fulfilment in applying his many years of experience to the benefit of the organisation

Reflecting on how volunteering has enriched his life, Martyn says “It’s broadened my outlook on life. It’s taught me skills that have benefited my business. All business and activity in the community is being able to work with people - people, people, people.” He encourages potential volunteers to “Go and experience it first. Put your foot in the door and see how you feel.”

By Olivia Ball.