Past district governor Ross Pinkham presented Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst with a Paul Harris Fellowship award. Photo / Supplied
At the Stortford Lodge Rotary Club's biggest award night of the year, Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst was presented with a Paul Harris Fellowship.
A Paul Harris Fellowship is the highest honour a Rotary club can bestow upon an individual.
The Fellowship recognises people who have shown commitment and dedication to a cause that will improve the world and its citizens.
Due to her passion and forward thinking over many years as Hastings District councillor, and more recently as mayor of Hastings, Hazlehurst was the perfect candidate to receive the award.
The citation for the Fellowship said Hazlehurst "has had such a big hand in and has seen Hastings grow significantly to become the great little city it is today."
Hazlehurst wasn't the only one celebrating significant achievements on the evening of the awards.
Earlier in the night, Pinkham presented the Stortford Lodge Rotary Club with a Rotary International Club Citation certificate in recognition of its activities in the Hastings area throughout 2021-2022.
Out of the 49 clubs in Rotary District 9930, only seven have achieved the International Club Citation distinction.
This distinction comes off the back of the Rotary Clubs' Hastings District Council Civic Award in 2021 for its dedication to the Hastings community for over 50 years.
Before receiving her own award, the Hastings mayor presented the club's Annual Pride of Workmanship certificates to six local people.
Ann Cooper, the kind and courteous 'face of Little Elms', received a Pride of Workmanship Award for her 10 years of excellent service.
Sharon Sivewright was awarded a Pride of Workmanship Certificate for displaying professionalism, acting as an exceptional role model and mentor to staff, and being "a powerhouse of information" at Hastings Hospital for 17 years.
For 29 years of outstanding contribution to the education of health and wellbeing to Hawkes Bay Schools and more than 170,000 interactions, as well as "Bringing Harold to Life". Life Education Hawke's Bay's Anne Jamieson received a Pride of Workmanship award.
Mayor Hazlehurst also got to present the Pride of Workmanship Award to three long-serving Hastings District Council staff members with nearly 90 years of combined service who were also recognised for their contributions to the operation and maintenance of water networks and plants.
John Popplestone was awarded for 21 years of work at the Hastings Wastewater Treatment Plant. Tony Dench received the award for 25 years of service and work on the Three Waters network. Ewan Cameron was awarded for 42 years of drinking water plants in the Hastings District.
Hazlehurst said the Rotary Pride of Workmanship Awards are one of the highlights in her year.
"It is wonderful to have our community recognised for their hard work in their organisations and businesses to make a difference for our community," she said.