St John Roxburgh volunteers take top honour

Trustpower Central Otago award winners, with supreme winners St John Roxburgh representatives Joanne Rae and Doug Dance in front, celebrate at a function last night. PHOTO: LYNDA VAN KEMPEN
Trustpower Central Otago award winners, with supreme winners St John Roxburgh representatives Joanne Rae and Doug Dance in front, celebrate at a function last night. PHOTO: LYNDA VAN KEMPEN
The essential service provided by Roxburgh St John volunteers was officially recognised last night.

St John Roxburgh was named the supreme award winner at the Trustpower Central Otago District Community Awards, at a function near Clyde celebrating the work of volunteers.

The group won $1500 prizemoney and will also represent the district at the national final of the awards, being staged in the Rotorua district in March next year.

Trustpower community relations representative Emily Beaton said St John Roxburgh provided an essential, completely volunteer-operated ambulance service 24 hours a day,

seven days a week for the area from Shingle Creek to Beaumont and the Knobbies to Moa Flat.

‘‘With not one single paid employee in this operation, these volunteers provide emergency medical care for everyone in their community and the travelling public, with qualifications and skills equal to those in much larger areas,'' she said.

All the volunteers were also in paid employment, so it was ‘‘a huge effort'' to have two crew on at all times.

The group ran first-aid courses in the community at discounted prices to encourage as many people as possible to learn lifesaving skills and gain workplace first-aid qualifications.

It also ran the Penguins programme for children aged between 6 and 9, teaching basic first-aid skills.

There were 12 youth members in the next group, aged 9-18, who were working their way through the preliminary levels towards the Grand Prior Award. The category winners and runners-up were.-

Heritage and Environment winner: MAD4CO; runner-up, Maniototo Early Settlers Association.

Health and Wellbeing winner: Cromwell Rural Women; runner-up, Central Otago Health Shuttle.

Arts and Culture winner: Central Cinema; runner-up, Alexandra Musical Society Costume Department.

Sports and Leisure winner: Cromwell Bike Park; runner-up, Teviot Prospects; commendations, Cromwell Community Squash Club, Mt Benger A and P Society.

Education and Child/Youth Development winner: Alexandra and Cromwell Presbyterian Support Buddy Programme; runner-up, EnviroSchools.

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