Our annual mid-winter dinner and AGM this year took place at Royal Oak Baptist Church, the drawcard being Coralie Warburton, Miss World 1999. There were a total of almost sixty people. We sat down about 6:30pm and were served a sumptuous smorgasbord put on by the Mt Roskill Baptist Church catering team. David Kilgour led us in the grace Thank You Lord For Giving Us Food sung as a round. We took it in turns table by table to be served; naturally the first to be served was Coralie’s table.

Afterwards Steve put on the last few minutes of the video of the 1999 Miss World New Zealand pageant, which showed the two runners-up followed by Coralie receiving the top prize. Then Club president Nelson interviewed Coralie, resplendent in long wavy blonde hair, a sparkling purple frock and the red Miss World 1999 sash, whom he described as a very lively person with so many activities to be involved in - tutoring a child in maths, playing the piano and teaching Sunday School, as well as training at a gym and doing a double degree (law/commerce) at varsity. Coralie told us that her mother’s hairdresser asked her to enter the local beauty contest, and on 4 July 1999 she was crowned Miss Counties Manukau. In replying to Nelson asking what was going through her mind when becoming one of the three finalists, Coralie said she had mixed emotions, a feeling of much support, and excitement. Representing New Zealand meant to her an honour, a great privilege and a great responsibility. When travelling overseas she missed New Zealand as an outdoor country with the “kiwi attitude of wanting to get out”. When she was at the Miss World contest in London she had never stayed in such luxurious hotels, she met lots of interesting people and learned about the cultures of many countries. On her way back home she spent a week in Malta. In answer to a question as to how life has changed since gaining the title, Coralie said she was much busier, but it is really what one would make of it. She has spoken at Rotary clubs, RSAs and schools, and done many fundraisers. She has handled the extra attention from the media with enjoyment.

Coralie feels her responsibility as Miss World New Zealand is to stand up to her values and beliefs as a role model, especially to children. Her church pastor told her to read the Book of Esther, as that part of the Bible was very much applicable to her. She mentioned as a 21-year-old in 2000 the importance of a high self-worth, self-esteem, purpose and identity, for without these there would be depression leading to such things as suicide. In her talks to school groups, she speaks about these. As a Christian she feels that beauty is not just the outside appearance, it is the personality that counts, with qualities such as honesty, integrity, friendship, etc. Coralie told us she was brought up in a Christian family and began to get involved in the youth group at her church, and these were the main influences in her decision to accept Jesus Christ. She said that God has His hand on her life, and believes that God has been in her being Miss World New Zealand 1999. God has blessed her in many ways, and she feels so close to God when feeling so “alone” as the beauty queen. Joy commented that as trampers we enjoy the beauty of nature. With Coralie as beauty queen being the drawcard, this has been the largest number of people present for the Club’s annual mid-winter dinner and AGM. Joy then presented Coralie with a card and cheque, and gave a vote of thanks to her. Because a Korean congregation had just arrived for a service in the church auditorium, we moved into the far part of the room we were in and shut the doors so our AGM could proceed with minimum disturbance from the Koreans’ music. The President’s Report was circulated along with the finance, programme and publicity reports, and Nelson commented on his report and Paul spoke to the financial report, which he had helped treasurer Christine (who was not at the AGM) to prepare. Then the Officers were elected for 2000-01. Phillip gave an update on the Christmas tramp to the Aspiring area of the South Island, saying that the trip was just about full already, and the group was able to get cheap airfares there and home afterwards. The meeting then closed with a prayer. COST: $20