Pride of NZ Awards are regional winners (from left), Tony Howse, Maera Maki-Anderson, Jenny Edwards, Peter and Lorna Harwood, representing Buddy Harwood, and Peter Blackwell. Photo / George Novak
Pride of NZ Awards are regional winners (from left), Tony Howse, Maera Maki-Anderson, Jenny Edwards, Peter and Lorna Harwood, representing Buddy Harwood, and Peter Blackwell. Photo / George Novak
Winners tireless in efforts for worthy causes
A volunteer fire chief from Murupara and a Tokoroa anti-synthetic high campaigner are among regional winners of the Pride of New Zealand Awards.
The six Mid North Island winners - covering Taranaki, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne - were announced at a ceremony in Tauranga last night.
Maera Maki-Anderson of Murupara won the Emergency Services Award.
Mrs Maki-Anderson, a volunteer firefighter for the past 26 years, has been credited with single-handedly saving the Kaingaroa Forest Volunteer Fire Brigade when dwindling numbers threatened its closure.
She set up a Help Save Kaingaroa Fire Brigade page on Facebook, went door to door to drum up volunteers as well as running a recruitment drive.
She also arranged training to get all recruits up to speed.
Maera Maki-Anderson.
Mrs Maki-Anderson has been Kaingaroa's chief fire officer for the past 11 years.
Tokoroa's Julie King won the Community Spirit Award. Mrs King campaigned against synthetic highs and is the woman behind Tokoroa Love Soup, a community soup kitchen that feeds those in need.
The Bravery/Heroism Award went to Buddy Harwood of Athenree.
While driving to Whistler in Canada last year, Mr Harwood saved a family of four from a burning car minutes before it exploded.
Whangamata's Tony Howse won the Environmental Award after he convinced a local farm to donate a section of land which he then turned into a nature reserve, involving local schools and Environment Waikato in the project.
The Fundraiser of the Year Award went to Peter Blackwell of Tauranga. Mr Blackwell has organised the CIB charity auction in Tauranga for the past 20 years, raising almost $2 million for local charities.
Jenny Edwards of Whitianga won the Lifetime Achievement Award. She is a double cancer survivor who more than 20 years ago formed the Mercury Bay Cancer Support Group.
The regional awards were judged by Silver Fern Maria Tutaia, The Hits radio personality Polly Gillespie, owner of Yealands Estate Winery Peter Yealands, director of fundraising at Starship Jo Cowie and The New Zealand Herald editor Shayne Currie.
A National Awards ceremony to announce the overall category winners and the winner of the TSB Bank People's Choice vote will be held at the Auckland Museum on September 10.
If you want to have your say, voting in the People's Choice Award opens on Monday at www.prideofnzawards.co.nz
