Editorial: Help us find our Person of the Year

Dr Russell Wills, Hawke's Bay Today Person of the Year 2014.

It has been a good year of community involvement for Hawke's Bay Today.

The paper is not only there to report the news, but to support local events and praise great initiatives and people who put our province in the spotlight.

We support a number of events from Horse of the Year to Country2Coast to the Food and Wine Classic to, this year for the first time, the Harcourts Hawke's Bay Arts Festival.

We also host public events, when the occasion demands it, including in the run-up to national and local elections. This year, we held two very successful public meetings - one on amalgamation and the other on the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme.

There are many worth causes we support like, for example, the Bring Yer Boots campaign where we ask readers to donate footy boots and sports shoes so less-fortunate children can get out there and play sport.

Another one of my favourite events we are involved is the Hawke's Bay Today Person of the Year.

This is the third year we are running this and nominations are now open. Whoever wins the award will be following in some pretty big footsteps - the inaugural winner was Flaxmere Boxing Academy head coach Craig McDougall in 2013, while last year paediatrician and Children's Commissioner Russell Wills was the judges' unanimous choice.

The judging panel is yet to be decided on, but an announcement will be made shortly.

The Hawke's Bay Today Person of the Year will be announced later this month.

We are looking for someone who has made a significant contribution to the Hawke's Bay community in terms of charity, fundraising or other non-profit organisations. Or someone who has achieved remarkable success in their chosen business, career or sport. So, if you know someone who fits the bill, then email us at news@hbtoday.co.nz