Pedal power ruled at this year's Trustpower Central Otago awards.
The Roxburgh Gorge Trail Charitable Trust won the sport and leisure section as well as the supreme award and $1500 in prize money.
It will represent the district at the national Trustpower awards in Dunedin in March.
Trustpower community relations representative Arielle Monk said 22 groups vied for top honours and the winners were announced at a function in Alexandra early this week.
The volunteers created a valuable resource for the district, she said.
''These guys are seriously committed to creating an attraction for locals and visitors and they see it fuelling local economy and tourism in a real way in the future. To me, that speaks of a dedication to the wider community, not just to their own interests,'' Ms Monk said.
Speaking after the event, trust chairman Stephen Jeffery said it was an honour to have the trust's work recognised.
''It took us a long time to achieve this trail and we've had some great supporters even if we didn't always have everyone onside. It's been brilliant for the area and there's been an economic upswing for both years since the trail opened.''
He thanked all the trail supporters, landowners and funders, including the Central Lakes Trust, the Otago Community Trust, the Central Otago District Council and the Government.
The Eduction and Child/Youth development category winner was the Alexandra Youth District Trust, which works on projects with young people in the district.
Blossom Festival floats, making hurdles for an athletic club and refurbishing furniture for a child care centre were among tasks carried out by the Alexandra Men's Shed in the past year.
The 20-strong group won the heritage and environment section.
Ranui Home and Hospital volunteers who organise outings and activities and socialise with rest-home and hospital residents, won the health and wellbeing category.
Pisa Range Music Society Inc took top honours in the arts and culture section.
The group runs the Bannockburn Music Festival, with 12 bands this year, and raised funds for community projects.
Youth Spirit award joint winners were Dunstan High School's Nikki Wheeler and Maniototo Area School's Ashleigh Smith (both aged 17), and Amelia Pasco (17), of Roxburgh Area School, was runner-up.
Both Nikki and Ashleigh are members of the Sticks'n'Stones group, which is an initiative to counter cyberbullying, and carry out other volunteer work in the community.
Other results were. - Heritage and environment category runner-up, Vallance Cottage volunteers; health and wellbeing runner-up, Cromwell Plunket Group; arts and culture runner-up, Clyde Theatre Group; sport and leisure runner-up, Alexandra BMX Club; education and child/youth development runner-up, Talent Development; commendation, Millers Flat Library volunteers.
