Waimate Volunteers Honoured at Annual Civic Awards

MEDIA RELEASE
15 March 2021 - Immediate Use

A handful of community heroes have been acknowledged for their ongoing community efforts at the recent 2021 Waimate District Civic Awards.

The prestigious annual event, this year held at the Waimate Event Centre, recognises volunteers that tirelessly give back within the district, with award categories including Individual, Youth and Group.

In his address to the recipients, Waimate District Mayor Craig Rowley said people like the ones that were honoured are the reason the Waimate District is such a special place to live and work.

He stated that 2020 was a year to remember as people in the Waimate District experienced the Covid-19 lockdown; though pointed out it was also a time when volunteering was at its highest.

“I believe our volunteers are the ‘glue that holds our community together’ – and being able to annually thank and recognise those people who do so much for our communities is important,” Mayor Rowley said.

“There are always loud protests from our recipients they do not want recognition … they say they volunteer for that ‘do good’ feeling, the feeling of helping someone.

“But, it is important that we do recognise them - if only to give the people that benefit from their service the opportunity to acknowledge and thank them publicly.”

The civic awards criteria limits the awards to a maximum of no more than four individual, one youth 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.

Lillian Bailey, John and Makere Kairimu, Joan Tindall and Charles Ruddenklau were recipients of the Individual Civic Award this year, while this year’s Youth Award was presented to 2020 Waimate High School Head Girl Amellia Lindsay. Royal New Zealand Navy Lieutenant Commander Grant Finlayson was on hand to do the honours.

Meanwhile, this year’s recipient of the Group category was service club, Inner Wheel of Waimate, with President Julie Anderson accepting the award on behalf of the club.

Throughout the event, Mayor Rowley acknowledged the work of the selection committee, whose makeup is drawn from Community and Service Clubs, Council and local Iwi, and extended a further thanks to the Waimate Community Choir and Chilean singer Javier Venegas, both acts treating those present with high class entertainment for the evening.