Planning spills into family life

She is so committed to her job as Cancer Society fundraiser and event manager that Faye James has been known to take her work home with her.

Daughter Natasha and Faye's husband, Bob, have, at times, blown up balloons in the garden shed. Mr James has taken a day's leave from work to help out with Daffodil Day.

"Mum used to get me running around picking up stuff for her when it [Relay for Life] first started. I would have been about 15 then," says Miss James.

"She is very dedicated to her job, she's always looking for things to use at the Relay for Life as attractions for people."

Miss James says often, when her mum is indulging her love of craft fairs, she ends up handing her business card out to people with food stands if she thinks it would work at the relay.

"She's always thinking about something and how it can be put together. When one relay finishes she's thinking about the next one. She puts in a huge amount of hours."

Miss James says people would be surprised at the amount of detail that goes into events like the Relay for Life.

"Of course people understand the big things, but it's all the little behind-the-scenes things that mum thinks about that wouldn't even cross my mind."

So, do these fundraising and planning talents get used elsewhere?

"Well she's my unofficial wedding planner," Miss James laughs.

The young woman is very admiring of the way her mother manages to get things done.

"She is incredibly persuasive. It's amazing how she gets people to do things, she's really got the gift of the gab."

However, the shoe was on the other foot after the first Relay for Life in 2001.

"At first mum thought they would do one every two years but then after the first one it was decided that it should be done each year."

Richard Anderson, from Property Brokers, has worked closely with Mrs James over the time the relay has been running in the city.

The real estate company was a seeding sponsor for the event and remains a sponsor, largely because of the woman behind it.

"`She does a fantastic job. As an event we raise more money per capita than many larger cities. We punch way above our weight and a lot of that is to do with the smooth organisation of Faye and her team."

But it's not just the Relay for Life that is on Mrs James' task list. As the fundraising and events manager she also co-ordinates Daffodil Day and other fundraising activities.

The relay organisation begins in October and finishes around May, which is when Mrs James starts thinking about Daffodil Day, which happens in August.

"She's always thinking ahead and planning," says Miss James.

- © Fairfax NZ News