Wayne Stevens got involved in Land Search and Rescue in 1984, while a student in the tramping club at Wellington's Victoria University.

When the Kaingaroa Forest Volunteer Fire Brigade membership dwindled to just four, the station was faced with closure.

Seeing the 'wee smiles' on their faces is what motivates nominee Rachel Jenkinson, who provides cakes for sick children.

Beginning today, the Herald profiles the 24 Pride of New Zealand national finalists before the big awards on September 10.

Wayne Stevens works full time in the NZ Treasury, where everything is planned and interventions take years to effect. By night, he’s an icon of heroism, cited by Te Ara Encyclopaedia of New Zealand in its entry on search and rescue. Mr Stevens said that "even when dealing with drunks on a Friday night, particularly young persons, it can be unpleasant but you help them and hope that they learn from their experience.”

osh and his friend Jamie had gone in for a dip near Waimarama Surf Lifesaving Club about 3pm when they were quickly swept sideways in extremely rough, foggy conditions. Mr and Mrs Randell were watching from the shore and rushed to their aid, but fell victim to the churning seas, struggling to stay afloat as waves washed over them. Quick thinking bystander Wade Kelly was preparing for a surf when he heard screams and crying from people gathered on the beach and dove in with his board. He made it a priority to rescue the young boys first and delivered Jamie and Josh to safety before heading out for the husband and wife, who were losing energy, just trying to stay afloat.

Firefighter Tony "Scottie" Scott likes to keep himself busy, especially if it's for a good cause. The 43-year-old, who lives in the Far North, has been a member of the Auckland Airport Rescue Fire Service for the past 22 years. During that time he has become known as one of the Fire Service's most dedicated event organisers and can often be found volunteering at various functions or fundraising events throughout the year. But he is most well known as being the key driver behind the annual Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge.

Tony Howse, a sculptor and music teacher, convinced a farm in the Karangahake Gorge, south of Paeroa, to donate just 5% of its hundred acres to regenerate with native bush. If every farm in the country did the same, the country could soak up many more carbon emissions. Mr Howse began his forest reserve by protecting the mature totara bordering the creek, which livestock had been trampling for 30 years. “Two years ago I suggested letting the stream regenerate”, pest eradication came next; native birds returned, enticed with planting by passionate pupils. The next step will be adding more bush walk segments.

The Taradale family have been helping feed the homeless by running a mobile soup kitchen in Clive Square in Napier. Serving hearty winter-warming food to those living rough. Mrs Swannell grew up working in the hospitality industry and with her husband, Kevin, opened their "soup truck" following a chance meeting one Sunday evening. "We saw this homeless guy across a car park and we wondered who he was because we had never seen any homeless people in Taradale before," she said. "That night we spent until about 12.30am just talking to him. We made him a cup of tea, cooked some noodles to eat and gave him a blanket." Mrs Swannell said she wanted to get her family involved in the community and running a soup kitchen was a natural way to help people where they need it most.

Baking for others is always rewarding. But it's even more so when it's for a child who is in hospital. Otago woman Rachel Jenkinson has spent almost two years trying to brighten things up for youngsters who are forced to spend long periods away from school and home because they have to be in hospital. "I wanted to be able to put a hobby to good use. It's a small thing - making a cake - but it's a bit of fun for these kids. It makes them happy and they get excited. The mother of three began organising cakes for youngsters in hospital near her home. But as word got out and referrals came in, she started to think outside the box. The Operation Sugar charity was soon established and now includes 850 bakers from around the country.

About 20 years ago Mr Blackwell organised the first CIB charity auction. It had a lot of interest at the time — but he never dreamed he would raise almost $2 million. Mr Blackwell has headed the police fundraising event since its inception, but this year’s one, in October, will be his last. Since its humble start in 1995 when a group of police detectives gathered at Bureta Park and raised $200, the amount raised has increased each year. Last year's event raised $282,000. Over the past 20 years the total raised has reached almost $2million. More than 40 charities have benefited. Last year, the Tauranga Coastguard was one of the main recipients and bought a new amphibious rescue boat for $250,000, thanks in part to the auction's $80,000 donation. Foundation for Youth Development Tauranga also received $80,000 last year.

Maera Maki-Anderson has been nominated in the Emergency Services category for her work as the chief fire officer at the Murupara Volunteer Fire Brigade. When she learned the Kaingaroa Forest Volunteer Fire Brigade might close, she dedicated herself to save it. She set up a Help Save Kaingaroa Fire Brigade page on Facebook and went door to door to drum up volunteers as well as running a recruitment drive. She arranges combined training to get all recruits up to speed and spends a lot of her free time running extra sessions for those who can't make the regular training nights. Her nominator said Mrs Maki was "an amazing person who deserves to be recognised for the dedicated service she provides to her community".

Some of the country's most selfless volunteers and community heroes have been chosen as the regional winners of the inaugural Pride of New Zealand Awards.

Mahia environmentalist Kathleen Mato has a simple philosophy when it comes to seeking to change something that does not seem right. "You have to step forward and you have to do something, don't just sit there and talk about it." "It has been a lot of hard work and we have forged ahead," she said of the Whangawehi Catchment Management Group which she started in 2010. Her first task was to convince her own people they could make a change, but it wasn't easy. "Some laughed and said it couldn't be done." A year of hui and meetings and consultations followed to convince others to become pro-active rather than reactive.

Julie King admits it's an interesting twist of fate that something as harmful as legal-high addiction could inspire a soup-kitchen service. It all began, she said, when the problems legal highs were causing in her South Waikato town became too clear to ignore. "We even had three youths go by ambulance to hospital. Meanwhile, people using it were becoming scary, angry and paranoid - and it was breaking up families." In May this year she also ran ‘Blankets Galore’ a donation drive for warm blankets, hats, scarves and gloves – which were collected in Rotorua and redistributed to people in need, just in time for winter.

Jenny is a double cancer survivor who over 20 years ago recruited like-minded people to form the Mercury Bay Cancer Support Group. Jenny has worked tirelessly over the years devoting many hours each week to provide care and support to local people with cancer and their families and co-ordinating her team of volunteers. Jenny is very highly regarded by her team of volunteers, local GPs, District Nurse and the local community. Part of Jenny's role is co-ordinating fundraising activities and the team runs a very successful second hand book stall in Whitianga. Under Jenny's guidance the Whitianga area is one of the highest collection areas in New Zealand on Daffodil Day, thus earning her enormous respect from the Cancer Society.

Jayne and Mike Rattray started a movement which has raised $600,000. It all began with a few bros hitting the road. “The idea came about in 2009,” Jayne explained. “The boys at Air NZ Engineering Services in Christchurch bought scooters off Trade Me and thought they would nurse them.” A mission from Christchurch on the east coast to the West Coast at Hokitika? Why not. Cars do the trip in less than three hours; the scooters take eight hours. “While the boys were planning it, one teammate was diagnosed with bowel cancer. We thought, What can we do to help? Hence the Tranz Alpine Scooter Safari was born in 2009.

Vote for your favourite finalist now at www.prideofnzawards.co.nz Napier man Hai Tong Too knows how daunting it is settling into a new country, let alone a new town. So for more than 40 years, Mr Too has been a key advocate for minority groups in the Hawke’s Bay, namely the Chinese community. ‘‘Most of them, when they arrive, they’re all pretty reserved and a lot of New Zealanders don’t know they exist. ‘‘I’m there to show [new migrants] how to integrate into society and to showcase their cultures through performances and things like that, so people can see them in the community.’’ Mr Too is the immediate past president of the Multicultural Association Hawke’s Bay. From 1997 to 2009, he served as the Hawke’s Bay Chinese Association president and is also a founding member of the Ethnic Association in the area. He has also worked on the NZ Chinese Association, as the vice-president, and was an ethnic adviser for the local council.

Vote for your favourite finalist at www.prideofnzawards.co.nz Greg Brownson gets up at 5.30 and starts work at seven. His helicopters save four people per day, on average. He loves his job. “Even when I’m not on shift I’m still here at 7 to see the guys change over.” Auckland’s Rescue Helicopter Trust has 26 operational staff. Mr Brownson is the most senior of the lot. Brownson has a warm, responsible, organised voice – but now that he gets to play with night vision goggles in his fourth decade on the job, he can be forgiven for sounding excitable. Brownson estimated he is responsible for 1.4 million people in the Auckland-Great Barrier-Waihi catchment. The numbers don’t bother a helicopter hero. He is the longest active serving member of the crew and has performed close to 2000 often lifesaving rescues.

Vote for your favourite finalist now at www.prideofnzawards.co.nz Glenn Miller left the Beachlands Volunteer Fire Service unexpectedly. The next day, he picked up where he left off: helping out in the ‘hood’. Miller, unused to even a ten minute interview, bashfully told the Herald he’d rather be seen, not heard, so it’s lucky his nomination says it all. “Glenn Miller has given 34 years to the Brigade, been a junior rugby coach, been involved in boating and gym clubs, and helped his fire crew to shoot down targets with a hose to win competitions.” He is also a founding member of the Pohutukawa Helping Hands Trust, a group of locals who share a common interest in helping other locals.

Vote for your favourite finalist now at www.prideofnzawards.co.nz The motorcyclist, who is a tutor at the Best Pacific Institute in Manukau, was nominated after he pulled a woman and her elderly parents to safety from a broken down car on the Southwestern Motorway near Hillsborough in August. At the time, visibility was poor and Mr Ikilei had ridden 200m past the car. He turned around when he realised that something was wrong. Minutes after the trio were pulled to safety, a truck bowled over Mr Ikilei's bike, which he had parked in front of the stranded car with its hazard lights on to warn other motorists. The bike ricocheted off several other vehicles and was destroyed, however no one was harmed.

Vote for your favourite finalist now at www.prideofnzawards.co.nz Wayne Stevens works full time in the NZ Treasury, where everything is planned and interventions take years to effect. By night, he’s an icon of heroism, cited by Te Ara Encyclopaedia of New Zealand in its entry on search and rescue. Mr Stevens said that "even when dealing with drunks on a Friday night, particularly young persons, it can be unpleasant but you help them and hope that they learn from their experience.”

Vote for your favourite finalist now at www.prideofnzawards.co.nz Athenree volunteer fire fighter, who is currently on a working holiday in Canada, doesn't think twice before risking his life to save others wherever he is in the world. Buddy Harwood, 20, was on his way to Whistler on June 7 when he saved a family of five from a burning car seconds before it exploded. He and his girlfriend were driving when they noticed an upside down car on fire on the side of the road. Mr Harwood ran down a bank to the car and saw a young boy banging on the window so he got a rock and smashed a window to pull him out. Another man sprayed the car with a fire extinguisher while Mr Harwood cut the seatbelt off the father who was driving and pulled him out. He then pulled out the grandfather in the back and reached through the crushed window to pull the youngest boy out.

Vote for your favourite finalist now at www.prideofnzawards.co.nz Hare Krishna devotee Buddhi Wilcox has taken it upon himself to feed as many hungry mouths as possible. Mr Wilcox spends his days in the kitchen - with other volunteers - chopping vegetables and cooking meals before going out to a number of schools to distribute them. The 49-year-old established the Hare Krishna Food For Life programme two years ago after noticing that many people were struggling to make ends meet. "So we just thought 'Let's do something about it'."

Vote for your favourite finalist now at www.prideofnzawards.co.nz Much more a man of action than of words, Colin has married his love of and talent for cycling with his empathy for our young people. "CanTeen reckon I've ridden 16,000km over the past two or three years and raised more than $17,000, so that's more than a buck a kilometre. It's nice to get acknowledged because there are some things you can do without putting so much of your heart into it. I know others have raised more money than I have, but I do know the bit I raise for CanTeen keeps them ticking over. "And I've been lucky I can choose my challenges; those CanTeen members aren't so lucky."

Inspirational acts of bravery, kindness, and community spirit were rewarded at the South Island region's Pride of New Zealand Awards in Christchurch tonight.

Afamily who run a soup kitchen for the hungry were among Pride of New Zealand winners for the Lower North Island, announced in Hastings last night.

The first 6 Pride of NZ regional winners are named — the countdown to national ceremony begins.

Sir Peter Leitch insists that the ordinary people who do good things every day are the real heroes.