The prestigious annual Waimate District Civic Awards celebrate unsung heroes who work tirelessly and selflessly for their community.
 
Mayor Craig Rowley presented the awards that are now into their 10th year and over that time 43 individuals, five young people and four groups have been recognised for their work in the community – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
 
 
“In a small district like Waimate our volunteers are important, and make the district such a special place to live and work.”
 
Mayor Rowley claimed there are 184 clubs, groups and organisations operating in Waimate.
 
The Civic Awards criteria limit the awards to a maximum of no more than four individual, one youth recipient and one group or organisation each year, and the successful recipients must have carried out significant and meritorious voluntary community service within the Waimate district.
 
John Begg, Sandra Coles, Janice Mehrtens and Warren Herron are recipients of the Individual Civic Award. 
 
This year’s Youth Civic Award was presented to Catherine Nichol by Royal NZ Navy Lieutenant Commander Grant Finlayson.

Catherine says she likes the feeling of helping people. Her mother first encouraged Catherine into volunteering, from an early age when she went along with her mother to Girls Brigade to help. Then she got involved with St John Youth, Venturers and Scottish Country Dancing. 

Catherine enjoys encouraging young people to move away from technology and helping them to learn important qualities like communication, leadership skills and serving others. She is a role model for other young people. In fact, Catherine is at the current time, along with other prefects, looking at establishing a student army to work in our community.

 
The recipient of the Group/Organisation category, ‘Friends of Knottingley Park’, were acknowledged for their outstanding work over the last 25 years.
 
Mayor Rowley commented there were a high number and high calibre of nominations received for this year’s awards and he hopes the unsuccessful nominators try again next year.
 
He acknowledged the work of the Selection Committee, whose makeup is drawn from community and service clubs, Council and local Iwi.