Vote for Elliot and Kohukohu kids!

Elliot Hira and one of his junior box fit classes in Kohukohu.

The wider Far North community is being urged to vote for a local policeman to help him win a major prize worth $10,000 in a national online competition, which he plans to use to take his young students on a trip of a lifetime to Auckland.

Elliot Hira has been running a box fit class in the remote Hokianga community for the past 10 months and his efforts to promote sport and fitness in the area saw a neighbour nominate him for a Lotto Sport Maker prize.

Hira went on to be named one of 10 sportsmakers from across New Zealand to be given $2000 worth of Lotto Volunteers gear.

It also put him in with a chance to win the Ultimate Team Experience where the Sports Maker earning the most votes is presented with a prize worth $10,000.

Hira said he would use that, if he won, to take his young charges - all hailing from Kohukohu School - on a weekend trip away to Auckland to visit places like Rainbow's End, the museum and the Sky tower and give them a real eye-opening experience.

"All I ask is to help me out to help others out ... you can vote every day [up to midnight this Friday]. Let's do this together for the kids," he said.

Having grown up in the Far North, Hira was stationed over a year ago as sole charge senior constable at Kohukohu.

Noticing the lack of fitness classes in the area, particularly those catering to local children, he started box fit sessions up two months after arriving. He opened a gym in his garage, paid for equipment and gear out of his own pocket, and was soon running free one-hour classes for the community four days a week, with two days set aside for children, and two for adults.

This saw him put forward for a Lotto Sport Maker award by the afore-mentioned neighbour, who said the lack of sporting opportunity in the area had changed for the better since Hira's arrival.

"Our community's population is always changing and that has had massive effect. The local rugby team is no longer, so that means less sport for us to participate in. When Elliot moved into town, he learned fast what positive contributions he could offer as a community member," the neighbour commented on the nomination form.

"Next thing, all I can hear is children's voices, laughter and the sounds of their footsteps as they warm up for the next hour's sporting [class]. It wasn't just children doing a bit of cross fit and learning about method and combinations, their parents wanted in too!
"Elliot has created an opportunity for many to keep fit, and promote wellness and encouragement in our little Far North community."

* Lotto NZ and Sport NZ teamed up to reward volunteers for the awesome work they do. From over 500 nominations nationwide, a top 10 list of Lotto Sport Maker finalists was found. Each has been presented with $2,000 worth of Lotto Volunteers gear along with the chance to win the ultimate team experience.

Public voting runs from 9am on Wednesday, June 14, to midnight Friday, June 23, with one vote per person per day allowed. The winner will be contacted next Monday, June 26, with a public announcement to follow.

* You can vote for Elliot Hira and Kohukohu at www.goodonyou.co.nz