Club Person of the Year South Island : Murray Heath

Google ‘Murray Heath’ of ‘Southland’, and you’ll be presented with a page of ‘Murray Heaths’ all seemingly making fabulous contributions to the provincial community.  What’s more, these ‘Murray Heaths’ even stretch past the first page of Google, so pervasive are these Murrays’ achievements in Southland.

… the Murray Heath who is the stalwart of the Riverton Rugby Club … the former first five who played for Southland and dropped the winning goal against Canterbury in 1980 …  the former coach of its senior team … the clubbie who was there pitching in when the new clubrooms for Riverton were built in the 1970’s … the volunteer who was one of the organiser’s of the 150th jubilee celebrations of the club this year … the life member … and much, much more.

… the Murray Heath who is the persistently insistent fundraiser for the Westpac Chopper Appeal … the man who’s ‘hard to say no to’ … and who seems to inexhaustibly put his arm-twisting skills to work keeping this critical life-saving rescue service in the sky.

… the Murray Heath who has had a hand helping out with local basketball, managing the Southland Sharks.

… the Murray Heath who is a retired Business Development Manager of the Westpac Bank in Invercargill, after spending 40 years in the banking industry with Westpac, Trust Bank and the Post office … responding to Southland residents’ financial needs..

… and of course, the Murray Heath long-time member of the Waihopai Bowling Club … and currently President of the club … the largest club in the Southland Centre.

And as you guessed, all these Murray Heath’s are one in the same … Murray Heath the banker, the rugby nut, the basketball supporter, the fundraiser, and the lover of bowls, the all-round community good guy.

And there’ll now be another Google entry in 2024 for Murray Heath, the Bowls New Zealand Club Person of the Year (South Island).

“I’m not surprised he’s won the award.” says Secretary of Waihopai Bowling Club, Emma Drake.  “He’s just got so much get-up-and-go in him.  Nothing’s a problem.  And he just makes so much happen at the club.”

“We’re lucky to have him on board.  He just doesn’t sit still.”

Emma should know.  Murray was the guy who originally dragged her daughter Zoe (Beck) along to bowls.  Since then, Emma, Zoe and Craig Merrilees have together won the Centre Mixed Triples (and at 12 years old, that probably makes Zoe the youngest Centre winner ever).

“I put a lot of that down to the inspiration and encouragement given by Murray,” says Emma.  “Zoe loves the game now.”

But it isn’t just the rangatahi that Murray is encouraging to play bowls.

“He’s also a major driver of the club’s social bowls … he doesn’t shy off asking anyone and everyone to play bowls.  Whenever he gets the opportunity.  Whether it’s school-age bowlers, social bowls, business-house bowlers, aspiring full-playing members … whoever.  Murray is there to scoop them up and welcome them to Waihopai.”

“It’s great for the club.”

Murray’s also doing much more than simply (or let’s face it, not so simply!) bringing new blood into the club.

“We’ve got a major structural issue with the clubrooms, and they’re going to have to be substantially rebuilt,” says Emma.  “Murray’s been driving that project … it’s been quite complicated to progress but that doesn’t deter Murray.  He’s working with an architect to prepare plans for a new clubhouse, and as you would expect of Murray, has negotiated the plans at a ‘very friendly’ cost to the club,

“He always here,”  laughs Emma.  “He just about lives at the club.  Well at least he does during the season. He pops over to his apartment on the Gold Coast to escape the winter and plays at Coolangatta.   He’s even taken Zoe and me along to that club when we’ve been over there.”

“He is actively involved on the Board of Bowls Southland.”

“When he’s not flat-out sending emails, organising something at the club, picking up supplies for BBQ’s, he on the mower maintaining the greens.  He only sees all the things that need to be done .. and can be done … rather than all the reasons why they can’t be done.”

“And as a club, we’re very grateful.”

Thanks for all you do for Waihopai, Murray.  And thanks for all the work you do in Invercargill and Southland .

Congratulations on being Bowls New Zealand’s Club Person of the Year (South Island).