Waimate volunteers thanked for community service

The annual prestigious Waimate District Civic Awards were held at the Waimate Event Centre on Friday (9 March 2018), where a handful of unsung heroes were acknowledged for their community service.

Mayor Craig Rowley said over the last nine years the Waimate District Civic Awards have recognised and thanked 39 individuals, four young people and three groups – but that is just the tip of the iceberg. He said in a small district like Waimate our volunteers are important, and without their valued contribution – we’d be a poorer community.

The Civic Awards criteria limits the awards to a maximum of no more than four individual, one junior recipient and one group or organisation each year, and the successful recipients must have carried out significant and meritorious voluntary community service within the Waimate district.

Ngaire Duffy, Lynda Holland, Joy McIvor and Diane Smith, were chosen as the Adult Civic Award Recipients this year.

This year’s Youth Civic Award was presented to Queenie Dela Cruz by Royal NZ Navy Regional Navy Officer, Grant Finlayson.

For just the third time a local organisation was recognised for service to the community. This year the ‘Friends of Lister Home’ group was acknowledged; represented by Dorothy McCabe, Joan Dennison, Jean Patterson, Kathleen McLean, Margaret Murphy, Gaynor Patterson and Honor Cox.

Mayor Rowley spoke of the huge commitment local groups such as the ‘Friends of Lister Home’ give to our community – with the group having been in existence initially in 1949 as ‘Friends of the Waimate Hospital’.

He went on to say there was a high number and calibre of nominations received for this year’s awards – and he hopes the unsuccessful nominators try again.

Mayor Rowley acknowledges the work of the Selection Committee, whose makeup is drawn from the community, service clubs, Council and local Iwi.