Te Waiariki Purea Trust was blown away after receiving the supreme award at the 2016 Trustpower Rotorua Lakes Community Awards tonight.
The awards were presented at a function at the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre, with four categories for community groups as well as a Youth Spirit award for school students.
Five individuals were also named winners of the 2016 Rotorua Lakes Council Community Awards. They were Garry Adlam, Noel Hyde, Jill Walker, Ann Clausen and Kishor Patel.
Individual award winners were Garry Adlam, left, Jill Walker, Ann Clausen and Noel Hyde. Kishor Patel was not present. Photo/Ben Fraser
Supreme winners Te Waiariki Purea Trust, which also won the Education and Child/Youth Development category, received a framed certificate, a trophy and $1500 prize money.
It will now represent the district at the 2016 Trustpower National Community Awards, being held in Rotorua next March.
In total, Trustpower gave away $5000 to various community groups through the awards. Trustpower community relations representative Emily Beaton said Te Waiariki Purea Trust seemed to be everywhere.
"These guys are walking the talk and getting stuck in all over the show! They've got the recipe that works. Rangatahi (young people) are out in the community, doing it all thanks to this trust, and they're giving youth the opportunity to break down those barriers that are stopping them achieve some really great things.
"One of my favourite parts of the work they do is getting rangatahi to essentially run the I'M ReaL Breakaway holiday programme. It's a win win for everyone involved and gives these kids and young adults something to strive for and something to be a part of."
Hone Morris, 16, a rangatahi leader in the I'M ReaL programme within the trust, said he was blown away by the award.
Fellow leader Keanu Beazley-Flavell, 16, and said the trust made events for youth "to surround them in good environments and to make sure they have a healthy future".
Distrct councillor Charles Stuart was on the judging panel and said the trust "stood out, head and shoulders", and engaged with all kids and families.
Te Waiariki Purea Trust took the Supreme Award at the 2016 Trustpower Rotorua Lakes Community Awards tonight. Pictured are Maylene Meroiti, left, Mayor Steve Chadwick, John Chadwick, Hone Morris, and Keanu Beazley-Flavell. Photo/Ben Fraser
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick, who presented the individual awards, said it was an opportunity to acknowledge outstanding contributions to the community by individuals and groups.
Criteria for the Rotorua Lakes Council Community Awards, which started in 1990, was at least 15 years of dedicated voluntary service to a particular community sector and/or achieving at a national or international level.
Mr Adlam ensures the successful operation of the Rotary Charity Market, run every Saturday in Kuirau Park. Mr Adlam said the award had been "a bit of a shock", but he was honoured. Putting something back into the community was something he had always wanted to do.
"It's just amazing to be here amongst the other recipients as well that do so much for the community and make Rotorua a better place."
The market raises funds for the club's charitable work and has been operating since 1988. Mr Hyde moved from Wellington to Rotorua to help set up the Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre.
He is recognised both nationally and internationally for his contribution to bird conservation, research and scientific taxidermy.
Ms Walker has contributed to positive outcomes for Rotorua children since the 1980s through her many years of work in the performing and creative arts.
She has worked with youth in high schools, worked on theatre and art projects on marae and been involved in Children's Day celebrations in Rotorua for more than 20 years, as well as running regular projects using children's art.
Mrs Clausen has dedicated her life to volunteering and has been involved in a number of organisations for many years.
These include a support group for leukaemia patients and their carers, the Cancer Society, Make-A-Wish, Operation Xmas Child (for Fiji) and the Rotorua Baptist Church Meet 'n Eat group.
She was also involved with Victim Support for seven years and on the Relay for Life committee for four years.
She said she felt wonderful receiving the award and it was "really special". "I feel really honoured, I don't do the volunteering for the thanks, I do it because I love it."
Mr Patel is the owner and operator of the Reporoa Food Market grocery store, with him and his family operating the business seven days a week, and they are passionate supporters of their local rural community.
While still running a drainlaying business, Mr Adlam dedicates many hours to the market, liaising with Rotorua Lakes Council and dealing with stallholders and any inquiries or issues that arise.
At the market most Saturdays to ensure things run smoothly, he is passionate about the project and always looking for ways to make it better.
Noel Hyde
Mr Hyde is one of Rotorua's unsung conservation hero.
He moved to Rotorua from Wellington to help set up the Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre and is recognised both nationally and internationally for his contribution to bird conservation, research and scientific taxidermy.
With 40 years' experience, Mr Hyde is one of New Zealand's first research museum preparators and has completed more than 3000 specimens.
He is also a recognised expert in feather identification and has completed research and education taxidermy projects for Te Papa and other museums around the country as well as for the Department of Conservation, Kelly Tarlton's and Wingspan.
Mr Hyde is also a published author and co-author of academic research papers and has represented Wingspan and New Zealand internationally in terms of raptor research and falconry.
Jill Walker
Ms Walker has contributed to positive outcomes for Rotorua children since the 1980s through her many years of work in the performing and creative arts.
An accomplished artist and performer, she started working with children because after attending a number of community events she realised children attending were not really catered for.
She has worked with youth in high schools and worked on theatre and art projects on marae and has been involved in Children's Day celebrations in Rotorua for more than 20 years.
She runs regular projects using children's art, runs art in schools projects and in the past two years has run poppy-making workshops for Anzac Day commemorations in Rotorua.
Ann Clausen
Ms Clausen has dedicated her life to volunteering and has been involved in a number of organisations for many years.
While her husband Peter was in hospital for treatment for leukaemia she helped support other patients and their carers and in 1998 after Peter died, she and Marie Steiner set up a support group for leukaemia patients and their carers.
The group is still going today and she still attends meetings and helps with patient support and fundraising.
She was involved with Victim Support for seven years and was on the Relay for Life committee for four years.
She is still involved with the Cancer Society, Make-A-Wish New Zealand, Operation Xmas Child (for Fiji) and with the Rotorua Baptist Church Meet 'n Eat group.
The Fiji project involves collecting gifts for children and Ms Clausen has travelled to the island nation to deliver these. She has been involved in helping to grant 53 special wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions through Make-A-Wish and is a valued volunteer in Rotorua's chemotherapy unit and for the Cancer Society's Daffodil Day.
Kishor Patel is a much loved member of the Reporoa community where the married father of four is the owner and operator of the Reporoa Food Market grocery store.
He and his family operate the business seven days a week and they are passionate supporters of their local rural community.
Kindly donating food to individuals and families in need or affected by illness, Kishor is also a keen sponsor of local rugby and netball teams.
Judging panel: Cr Charles Sturt Cr Merepeka Raukawa-Tait Phill Thomass (Lakes Community Board) Paul Hickey (The Hits) Emily Beaton (TrustPower) Shanayla Barrett (Youth Councillor)
Youth Spirit * Winner: Hyesu Yang, John Paul College Rotorua *Finalist: Chantelle Cobby, Rotorua Girls' High School *Finalist: Sam Bocock, Rotorua Boys' High School *Finalist: Savanna Steele, Rotorua Lakes High School
Heritage and Environment *Winner: Rotorua Museum B Company Research *Runner up: Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre
Health and Wellbeing *Winner: The Parenting Place *Runner up: Love Soup Rotorua *Commendation: Ngongataha Volunteer Fire Brigade
Arts and Culture *Winner: Reporoa Roundabout Folders Group *Runner up: Friends of the Rotorua District Library
Sports and Leisure *Winner: Rotorua Group Challenge *Runner up: All About Me - Rhodesia Fit
