Keep Rotorua Beautiful takes out top award
30 October 2012
Local volunteer organisation Keep Rotorua Beautiful (KRB) won the Supreme Award at last night's 2012 TrustPower Spirit of Rotorua Awards (29 October).
Rotorua District Council works closely with and also employs and funds its coordinator. KRB also enjoys the support of Rotorua Trust.
KRB coordinator Christine Findon said it is the most amazing feeling to know that everyone's hard work has been rewarded by winning the supreme award.
This is a fantastic acknowledgement of the support of not only the Keep Rotorua Beautiful committee and Rotorua District Council, but the huge input of volunteers throughout the district.
We've had huge successes in the past in winning awards, such as the national Best City Award six times and the Heritage & Environment category at previous TrustPower awards. But this is the first time we've been awarded supreme regional winner and it feels great.
We're now looking forward to the challenge of the TrustPower National Community Awards in March and hopefully coming away with another award.
For winning the Supreme Award, Keep Rotorua Beautiful received a trophy, framed certificate and $1,500 prize money.
TrustPower Community Relations Representative Teresa Partridge says Keep Rotorua Beautiful has a wonderful story of how they involve many from the community to take responsibility and keep the Rotorua region spick and span.
Their biggest project involving volunteers is the annual Clean up New Zealand week project. Last year there were over 3,000 adults and children out and about for the whole week - this is the largest number they have ever seen involved. Streams were cleaned up, football fields and parks were made litter-free and people took ownership of their streets to ensure they were looking beautiful.
Each year more and more groups approach Keep Rotorua Beautiful, which just goes to show their reputation is highly valued in the community.
The main focus of this Keep Rotorua Beautiful is on litter. They run an annual speech contest as a tool to promote this. The anti-litter programme is one of the most important projects they offer.
Mrs Findon spends time in the classroom with students, followed by a clean-up in a local park. By talking to children about the effects littering has on the environment and the value of recycling, they believe they can change attitudes for future generations.
Meanwhile Rotorua District Council support group, Friends of Rotorua Library, won the TrustPower Spirit of Rotorua awards for the Education and Child/Youth Development category.
Forty six entries were received for this year's awards.
Winners at last night's TrustPower Spirit of Rotorua Awards were:
Supreme Winner
Keep Rotorua Beautiful
Heritage and Environment
Winner: Keep Rotorua Beautiful
Runner-Up: Rotoiti Volunteer Fire Force
Health and Wellbeing
Winner: Moving on Stroke Community
Runner-Up: Diabetes Youth NZ Rotorua
Commendation: Rotorua Hospital Chaplaincy Trust Ltd
Commendation: Rotorua U3A Coffin Club
Arts and Culture
Winner: Rotorua Multicultural Society
Runner-Up: NZ Aria Trust
Sport and Leisure
Winner: Rotorua Riding for the Disabled
Runner- up: Coastguard Rotorua Lakes
Education and Child/Youth Development
Winner: Friends of Rotorua Library
Runner-Up: Rotorua Blue Light Ventures
Commendation: Youth Lions Club of Reporoa