Media release, for immediate release, Monday 16 June, 2014
Supporting Your Local Champions During National Volunteer Week
National Volunteer Week runs from 15-21 June 2014 and focuses on the people who keep New Zealand’s communities humming –
volunteers. This year’s theme is “Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te tangata: With your contribution and my
contribution the people will live."
The Trustpower Taupō District Community Awards are currently open and ready for entries during National Volunteer Week.
These Awards are run in partnership with the Taupō District Council and the Radio Network Taupō. The Awards recognise,
reward and celebrate our community champions who are working tirelessly to make our communities stronger and more
enjoyable places to live.
“Volunteers are behind the scenes, putting their all into the projects and groups they are passionate about and the
Trustpower Community Awards are about recognising this work. National Volunteer Week is a great time to enter a group
while it is fresh in your mind,” says Trustpower Community Representative Kathlene Cook.
Entry Forms for the Trustpower Taupō District Community Awards are available from the Council offices or can be
completed online at www.trustpower.co.nz/communityawards.
The awards cover five categories; Heritage and Environment, Health and Wellbeing, Arts and Culture, Sport and Leisure,
and Education and Child/Youth Development.
This year there is more than $5,000 up for grabs at the Awards. 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 2014 Trustpower National Community
Awards being held in Wellington in March 2015.
The Radio Network Taupō will also provide the winner of each category with $500 worth of promotional advertising.
Entries for the Trustpower Taupō District Community Awards close at 5pm on Friday 18 July 2014. Anyone can enter a
group. Groups can even enter themselves.
Enter a group this week to support those who are working hard to support your community.
To support this nation-wide celebration of volunteers and the contribution they make, Trustpower staff will be
volunteering during the weekend. In Tauranga (where Trustpower has its head office) Trustpower staff will be out in
force, painting the walls at Avalon, an organisation which helps people with disabilities reach their potential.
In Oamaru, Trustpower staff will be pitching in to clean up gardens and re-paint walls for the Oamaru Whitestone Civic
Trust, Supreme Winners of the 2013 Trustpower Waitaki District Community Awards and a trust determined to preserve
Oamaru’s Victorian precinct.
Trustpower staff have been rolling up their sleeves during National Volunteer Week for the past three years and
Trustpower Community Relations Representative Kathlene Cook says it is a great way to complement the Trustpower
Community Awards programme.
“It’s about being part of a fun and productive day, giving back to the community, as well as shedding light on the
wonderful things voluntary groups do in all of our communities. It also gives our colleagues the chance to be part of
what the Trustpower Community Awards celebrates which is hardworking, talented, generous voluntary and community
organisations throughout New Zealand.
And for those that would like to recognise and give praise to the work volunteers do in our communities, you can enter a
community group into the Trustpower Taupō District Community Awards”, says Miss Cook.