The club behind Katikati’s most handy resource – the Community Directory – is calling on residents to add their mobile phone numbers to the listings, to keep the book up to date.

Directory organiser Cherie Pickin, of Katikati Lions Club, said her team of helpers were intent on making sure listed numbers were correct before the next directory is printed late-September.

“We’ve noticed a lot of our local listings are becoming ‘ghost numbers’ as people ditch their landlines. If you’ve moved to a mobile-only household, don’t leave your neighbours hanging!

“The Lions Club of Katikati Community Directory is getting a refresh before it’s reprinted – and we need you – the residents – to make sure our town stays connected.

“Whether it’s for a local business, a community group, or your personal residential listing, we want to make sure the information is current and reachable.”

People don’t realise they can have both their landline and cellphone numbers listed in the directory, Pickin said.

“We caught most incorrect or ghost numbers when we did a ring around last year – but we’re going to ring every person listed again this year before we print the first biennial directory.”

Forms are available at Katikati Community Centre and Katikati Information Centre for people to change or update their contact details.

“If computer literate, they email their change to me at: katikatilionsdicretory@gmail.com,” Pickin said. Changes needed to be sent in by June 30.

This year’s reprint would herald a major change, with the directory moving to a biennial product.

“We were printing it annually but from now on it will be printed once every two years,” said Pickin. “It’s a sign of the times – things are fairly hard out there, and people just don’t have a lot of money [to advertise].”

However, nothing inside the directory would change, she said, because the book was still a much-used resource for the community and its residents.

“The main advantage is if you know somebody locally but don’t know their phone number, there is no other way of getting hold of them on the phone.”

Pickin said the directory also included local knowledge that was helpful to new residents, older people and young families.

“We will list the local tide times for the first year; we include a district map and local streets maps of Athenree, Bowentown, Ongare Point, Tuapiro Point, Te Kauri Point and Katikati; and we also list all local and national emergency contacts.”

Contact information for local clubs, social services, help agencies, support groups, churches, local Justices of the Peace are listed, as are locations of local AEDs (Autmotic External Defibrillators). The work of the Lions club is also printed.

“We put in as much information as we can to make it useful – and free copies of the directory all always available at Katikati Information Centre for those new to town.

“The way the public can help us is to check the current directory – the one with the two Lions on the front – and if you’re contact details, can fill out a form or email us.”

Pickin said the directory is also on the lookout for advertisers to renew bookings or come on board. “That’s what pays for the book. It costs $40,000 to put out.

“We print 5300 copies. The Lions deliver to every business and house in our area – either rural delivery or by hand.”

Pickin said she wanted potential advertisers to know that despite the book now covering two years, advertising prices will not double.

“The price still hasn’t been set – but it will certainly not be a two-year price.”