Media Release, for immediate release, Monday 21 June

Saluting Taupo District’s Volunteers

The once-a year opportunity to celebrate and recognise local volunteers is about to hit the Taupo district, with nominations opening for the TrustPower Taupo District Community Awards on Monday 21 June, just in time for Volunteer Awareness Week.

The Awards, which are run in conjunction with the Taupo District Council, are open to all voluntary groups and organisations working to make the Taupo district a better place to live.

The Awards have been running for ten years in the Taupo district and TrustPower has given away more than $55,000 in prize money to the winning voluntary groups through these Awards. This year more than $5,000 prize money is up for grabs.

Taupo Mayor Rick Cooper says the work of community groups improves life for everybody in the Taupo District and the Community Awards acknowledge these volunteers who selflessly give of their time and resources.

“You make a living by what you get, but you make a life of what you give freely” says Mayor Cooper.

Last year 52 groups were nominated for the TrustPower Taupo District Community Awards, but TrustPower Community Relations Representative Suzi Luff believes there are many more voluntary groups out there who deserve recognition.

“Volunteers in the Taupo region dedicate thousands of hours to the community. And they are often not recognised for the invaluable work they do.”

“Now it is the local community’s chance to say ‘thank you’ to these volunteers who work hard to improve the community – from sports clubs, to Plunket groups, to community projects happening in your backyard. It takes five minutes of your time to nominate a voluntary group but it will make a real difference to the volunteers you are recognising,” says Miss Luff.

Anyone can nominate a group or organisation for the TrustPower Taupo District Community Awards – voluntary groups and organisations can even nominate themselves.

Nomination Forms for the TrustPower Community Awards are available from Council offices or service centre, the Great Lake Centre; or they can be downloaded from www.trustpower.co.nz/communityawards ; or you can call TrustPower Community Relations on 0800 87 11 11.

The awards cover five categories; Heritage and Environment, Health and Wellbeing, Arts and Culture, Sport and Leisure, and Educational and Child/Youth Development. Category winners receive $500, runners-up receive $250 and the Supreme Winner will take home $1,500 and an all-expenses paid trip to the TrustPower National Community Awards. Regional Winners at each TrustPower Community Awards throughout New Zealand will be filmed by the TVNZ6 crew to feature in a new series called ‘Volunteer Power’.

TVNZ 6 has partnered with the TrustPower Community Awards in 2010 to bring remarkable stories of volunteers all over the country. ‘Volunteer Power’, presented by Jim Mora and Julia Bloore will tell the stories of visionary and award-winning projects operating in kiwi communities - fuelled by the boundless energy of community volunteers.

TVNZ 6 is available on Freeview/TiVo channel 6 and on SKY/Telstra channel 16.
Nominations close on Friday 27 August.

ends

© Scoop Media