Craig Torrance and Carol Melville, of Special Olympics New
Zealand Otago Club, with the TrustPower Community Supreme
Award they won at a function in the Glenroy Auditorium in
Dunedin last night. Photo by Craig Baxter.
The TrustPower Dunedin Community Supreme Award was
presented to one of Dunedin's "quiet achievers" last night.
The Special Olympics New Zealand Otago Club received the
award at a function in the Glenroy Auditorium in Dunedin last
night, for its fundraising efforts to send an athlete to the
Special Olympics World Winter Games in Boise, in the United
States.
It also trained, qualified and raised funds for 34 athletes
and 13 coaches to attend the Special Olympics New Zealand
National Summer Games in Palmerston North last December.
TrustPower community relations representative Melanie
Tavendale said the club was "one of those quiet achievers"
and, thanks to its volunteers, many members of the community
were opening their minds, and learning to accept and include
people with an intellectual disability.
"By bringing together people with and without intellectual
disabilities, this group is breaking down barriers and
changing attitudes."
The club was one of 63 groups nominated for this year's
awards, and now it has the opportunity to represent the
district at the 2010 TrustPower National Community Awards in
March 2011.
In conjunction with the TrustPower Community Awards, the
Youth Community Award was presented to Kavanagh College head
boy Ben Ahdar.
The award recognised Ben's service to his school and the
community.
Ben has served as class leader, class councillor, house
leader, peer mentor and peer support leader, and he took part
in the Survive a Slum by sleeping in cardboard boxes with
eight other pupils to raise money for Caritas.
Outside school, Ben is also a camp leader for the Edmond Rice
Camping Movement.
Mrs Tavendale said Ben was a modest achiever who played an
incredible number of roles in both his school and the wider
community.
"Ben's commitment to others is outstanding, and makes him the
perfect role model.
"He is an excellent ambassador for his school and the Dunedin
community, and very deserving of this award," she said.
Other winners were:
Heritage and environment: Rotary Club of Dunedin, 1;
Fort Taiaroa Education and Resource Group, 2; Strath Taieri
Historical Society, commendation.
Health and wellbeing: Blue Ribbon Girls, 1;
Mosgiel-Taieri Community Patrol, 2; Rotary Club of St Kilda
and SuperGrans Dunedin Charitable Trust, commendation.
Arts and culture: Otago School of Piping and Drumming,
1; Taieri Dramatic Society, 2; Artsenta and Otago Arts
Society, commendation.
Sport and leisure: Special Olympics NZ Otago Club, 1;
Mountain Biking Otago, 2.
Educational and child/youth development: Warrington
Surf Lifesaving Club, 1; Taieri Parents Centre, 2; Queen's
High School, commendation.
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