Familiar faces at Fairway

When the first stage of Fairway Gardens opened in July, a couple of familiar faces stood out amongst the crowd of new residents.

“The village held a meet and greet for the residents who were about to move in. Which was nice as none of us knew each other, or so I thought!”

Carol Peterken and Shara Taylor spotted one another across the room and despite not having seen each other for 35 years, the pair instantly recognised each other.

“We obviously haven’t changed much!” says Carol.

The ladies first met when they were both members of Pakuranga’s Sunnyhills Tennis Club.

As young mums in the 1980’s, Carol and Shara took up the sport as a way to meet new people.

“Shara was really good and made one of the top teams, whereas I was there to socialise and enjoy the morning tea.”

Several years later, and unbeknownst to each other, the ladies traded in their rackets and upped their swing on a larger green.

“Carol and I lost touch after our Sunnyhills days, but funnily enough we both went on to play golf, and all the while just living around the corner from each other.”

“Our love of golf is why we moved to Fairway Gardens. Our husbands make the most of having the Pakuranga Golf course right on our doorstep, and they’ve even played a couple of rounds together since we moved in” says Shara.

The social aspect of village life was also a big drawcard for Shara and husband Jeff.

“As you get older it is harder to make new friends and social dynamics change. We’re really looking forward to meeting everyone as the village builds up and our new amenities centre opens.”

And now that the ladies have reconnected, a new friendship is blossoming for the former acquaintances.

“We’ll always be friends now.”