Editorial: Givers deserve all our thanks

Ray Cook. Photo / Ben Fraser

Wow, where has the year gone?

They say as you get older time seems to move a lot faster, and for me this year has whizzed by.

I bet it's also been the same for today's recipients of New Year's Honours who seem to be able to pack so much into their busy lives it's hard to believe they can do it all.

Today's Rotorua Daily Post is packed full of people from Rotorua and around the region who have made outstanding contributions to the community and have been honoured for their work.

I'd like to congratulate our Rotorua-based awardees, Ray Cook for his ONZM and Aroha Campbell for her QSM. Both have done some amazing work in our rohe, Aroha for her tireless efforts with iwi and Ray for his development and community work.

It seems Mr Cook, along with Rotorua's Holmes Group, Tony Bradley and Pukeroa Oruawhata are re-building Rotorua and bringing it into the 21st century.

Mrs Campbell and the trust have been building geothermal power stations on iwi land south of Rotorua and slowly decreasing our reliance on old world technology and the burning of fossil fuels.

And let's not forget Doug Bull from Whakatane and a host of others from Te Puke and around the Bay of Plenty. We have a lot to celebrate.

Just imagine what this country would be like without the tireless efforts of these people who give so much of their time, often for free, to help others less fortunate than ourselves.

It makes me think that I need to get out there a bit more and give back to the community I love so much. Maybe a good New Year resolution?

On that note, I hope you all could do the same and help turn Rotorua into the best place in New Zealand to live, work and play.

I'd also like to take this opportunity on behalf of everyone here at the Rotorua Daily Post to wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year. We could not do what we do without you and your support.