Te Puke High School's kapa haka group Nga Mahanga Huia at Te Kete O Matariki.
Te Puke High School's kapa haka group Nga Mahanga Huia at Te Kete O Matariki.
March 3 is the last day to vote for the People's Choice in this year's TECT Community Awards.
The Te Puke district is well represented in this year's awards with one finalist in the Event Excellence, Sustainable Future and Volunteer of the Year Awards and two in the Youth Spirit Award.
"The public can vote for their favourite finalist online; whether it's a community group that has helped them personally or a volunteer they know who deserves some recognition,'' said TECT marketing and communications manager Laura Thomson-Bache.
"The votes are coming in fast, and it's fantastic to see the community's engagement with the awards."
Originally scheduled for Baycourt on March 17, the Covid-19 protection framework restrictions mean it has moved to an online-only event.
All finalists are currently being showcased on the awards' Facebook page, website and Instagram account.
''It's great that we can still share the incredible work being done in our region by such a broad range of volunteers, young people, and community groups, and we hope the community enjoys being a part of that by watching online," said Thomson-Bache.
A finalist video is being published each weekday until March 11.
There are six award categories and a winner will be announced each weekday from March 17.
Te Puke district finalists Event Excellence Award
Floyd Buchanan gives carving a go at Te Kete o Matariki in Te Puke.
Te Kete O Matariki
Te Kete O Matariki was a fantastic celebration that showcased some of the amazing mahi that is happening in our community and educated the community about the significance of Matariki.
Community groups engaged through fundraising stalls, providing Māori kai, local Māori health services had were in attendance, and there was even an interactive carving demonstration.
There was amazing participation from the Kahui Ako o Te Puke, early childhood centres, and school groups performed kapa haka, which drew large crowds of spectators. Many teachers were also involved in kite-making and poi-making workshops. Then live music entertained the community well into the evening.
■ Other finalists: Bay of Plenty Garden and Art Festival, He Iwi Kotahi Tauranga Moana Charitable Trust – Waitangi Day Celebrations, National Jazz Festival, Tauranga Multicultural Festival.
Sustainable Future Award
Maketū Ōngātoro Wetland Society's environmental education programme is just one area of work for the environmental group.
Maketū Ōngātoro Wetland Society (MOWS) is a community conservation group working as a social enterprise, that looks to protect and restore the mauri and native biodiversity of the lower Kaituna River, Maketū Harbour, Waihī Harbour and the surrounding area.
With a focus on wetlands and coastal environments, the group does a wide range of mahi from monitoring to weed control, pest control and planting, education and advocacy.
From an environmental point of view, the results are something to be proud of. Maketū is an Important Bird Area, with survey work indicating it is one of only two sites in the North Island that has a growing red-billed gull population.
If you visit Maketū anytime soon you will be treated to a colony of about 10,000 birds. Some of this success story can be attributed to the many hours of care and perseverance shown by the MOWS team and volunteers.
■ Other finalists: Envirohub Bay of Plenty, Friends of the Blade, PiPS - People, Plants, School, Youth Search and Rescue Trust.
Former Te Puke High School student Kim Kaur is a finalist in the Youth Spirit Award. Photo / Andrew Warner
Kim Kaur
Kim, who left Te Puke High School last year, has completed an outstanding amount of voluntary work, both within the school and in the community. She belongs to the Student Volunteer Army and has completed over 500 hours of voluntary work.
She is the Western Bay of Plenty and Tauranga based Global Ambassador, she helps with the SEVA Service at the Te Puke Sikh Temple every Saturday which includes preparing food for around 200 people and cleaning up, and she is on the WBOPDC Teen Advisory Board, helping provide a youth voice around topics of interest including how to engage teens in the library.
At school she has again offered countless hours of service to the school community as the cultural leader, being on the House Committee, Indian Student Council, and Enviro Committee, and volunteering to support junior students with their reading through the Aim High Reading Programme. She has also been the winner of the Rotary Cup and Premier Service Award for Service Before Self for the last two years.
Quinn Boyle received some encouragement from open water swim guru Phil Rush as he swam the length of Lake Taupō.
Quinn Boyle
Sixteen-year-old Quinn Boyle has made significant contributions to the community through his many volunteer roles and fundraising efforts. Quinn is an ultra-marathon solo non-wetsuit open water swimmer and swims to raise money for charities in need.
He has swum over 150km in total. Locally, this year alone, he has donated over $3000 to Ōtamarākau School, Westpac Helicopter Trust, Community Red Cross, Cancer Society and the White Island Victims.
Quinn has been volunteering at local Bay of Plenty schools, Paengaroa and Ōtamarākau Primary, taking swimming lessons, coaching sports teams and supporting tamariki with their reading. He has recently written and donated a book for all local primary schools to enjoy.
Quinn is a member and volunteer surf lifesaver, patrolling and fundraising for the Pukehina Surf Rescue Club. On the weekends he spends time planting Coastcare protection plants, constructing native bird protection nesting areas and doing rubbish collection in the sand dunes along the Western Bay beaches.
During the lockdown, Quinn helped to deliver food and clothing parcels to whānau in need in his local neighbourhood.
■ Other finalists: Kororia Solomon, Ryan Kayser, Shuari Naidoo.
Andrew McDowell from Pukehina Beach Surf Rescue is a finalist in the TECT Community Awards.
Andrew McDowell
Andrew leads the four volunteer lifeguard patrols in his role as the Pukehina Surf Rescue lifeguard co-ordinator. He is responsible for the organisation of Pukehina Surf Rescue Club's 60 lifeguards, ensuring they are suitably upskilled each year, often encouraging others to take on their next skill development challenge.
As a SLSNZ peer supporter, he works in confidence across the Bay of Plenty helping to support people after tragic events/rescues. Andrew is also a regional club auditor, chairman of the Pukehina Surf Club building team, a club coach and is on the regional lifeguard committee. His professionalism is second to none and he is always personable and has great success in helping people.
Andy commits 1500 volunteer hours each year and is very active within the community organising the Anzac remembrance event for Pukehina, supporting local youth and people in general.
■ Other finalists: Bill Webb, David Walker, Maureen Paterson, Rodney Landrebe.
English Language Partners Bay of Plenty, Pacific Island Community (Tauranga) Trust, RainbowYOUTH, StarJam, Tauranga Riding for the Disabled.
Heart of the Community Award
Alzheimer's Society Tauranga, Good Neighbour Projects Team, Homes of Hope Charitable Trust, Western Bay Heritage Trust, YWAM Ships Aotearoa - Trinity Koha Dental Clinic.
