A sad day
Today is the one-year anniversary of Rod’s death. It’s hard to believe that a whole year has passed, and yet in other ways it has gone very slowly as we all miss Rod so much. He’s still very much a presence for the Green Party, and I’m sure always will be.
A nice piece in The Press by Colin Espiner about Rod’s death and the growing awareness of climate change as a mainstream issue.
You can view a photo gallery of images of Rod, and read the condolence book we had on frogblog a year ago.
Later in the week, Sue B will be marking the anniversary more officially with the first in a series of Buy Kiwi-Made showcases at Parliament.
Bookmark to:
November 6th, 2006 at 2:22 pm
A whole bloody year already…
Still, Rod would no doubt be chuffed to see the “greening” of the current political climate.
RIP that man.
November 6th, 2006 at 3:12 pm
Thanks to Guy Espiner for a very sensitive and well-researched article.
Yes, it has been one very busy year.
I sat down last night, and re-opened the file I put away after Rod’s memorial service at Parliament last year, and spent an hour or so re-reading media articles (copy-who?) which I’d assiduously e-stashed away.
No hope of doing much after that, really, so I had a bath and tried to send some good thoughts out to Nicola and the girls.
Along with that mulled over the fine performance Russ gave at the Climate Change Festival in Wellington, and I figure if Rod is sitting on a cloud somewhere, he’s probably smiling. We’ve been taking up the challenge to do him proud all over the country, and doesn’t it show.
Local body elections next year, let’s put the fear of green into them! And roll on 2008, we’re getting our muscles in shape for a big campaign.
Still, I’d rather be planting trees with him, than for him….
November 6th, 2006 at 8:30 pm
Katie said:
“I’d rather be planting a tree with him than for him.”
That says it very well.
Yesterday the Christchurch Greens had a “Remebering Rod” Organic Barbeque lunch together in the Halswell Quarry Park.
Most came on bikes. Some came on extended bikes big enough “to take the whole family”, or alternatively, with a well appointed trailers for small children. The longest I counted could accommodate six or seven! Two adults and various accommodations for children appropriate to their size and capability. (I wouldn’t recommend such innovation for those who live in hilly places, but in Canterbury/Christchurch this somewhat zany idea is excellent!)
It is great to see the local Greens alive and well … and together.
The loss of Rod makes a huge hole that is going to take a long long time to fill, but the memory of his vision, commitment, energy and his ability to interact with people of all persuasions in many different ways remains with us.
A highlight of the day was a reading (and enacting) of Dr Seuss’s “The Lorax”.
A new audience of the youngest Greens was entranced by the story, and the antics of the Lorax (played by an intelligent, committed and enthusiastic young Green) … and the older Greens were reminded that this was Rod’s favourite environmental book which he often read to various audiences, especially to children …
Each child chose a (donated) native tree seedling to take home and plant and watch it grow …
We miss Rod, but the Green Movement goes on.
eredwen
November 7th, 2006 at 3:34 pm
I couldn’t reply to this yesterday because I started crying as soon as I saw Rods photo. I cried on and off for about a week last year when he died and regard his passing as one of the greatest poltical losses this country has ever seen.
I still have Tom Scott’s “Pragmatic Idealist” cartoon sitting above my work desk here and I keep it there to remind me that we must all pick up where Rod left off and keep his vision alive and thriving.
I made a personal decision one year ago today to become more politically active and particpate more on NZ leftwing political blogs and that is how I choose to honour this beautiful mans life.
Rod Donald,
Pragmatic Idealist,
Friend of the Planet,
Good man,
Born 1957,
Recycled 2005.
Miss you so much Rod, I hope we can all make you proud.
And now I am crying again….
November 8th, 2006 at 10:45 am
zANavAShi:
There is a lot of it around!
Perhaps that song “Cry Me a River” should become the Greens’ song for Novemeber…