The Roxburgh Entertainment Centre Improvement Committee has scooped the supreme award at the Trust-Power Central Otago District Community Awards.
A total of $5250 was given to various community groups at the awards on Monday night at a function at Orchard Gardens in Alexandra.
TrustPower community relations manager Graeme Purches said there were 19 worthy organisations nominated for this year's awards.
The Roxburgh Entertainment Centre Improvement Committee raised more than $500,000 to extensively refurbish and renovate the centre.
The theatre, auditorium and foyer were completed in 1998 and dressing rooms, kitchen and ablution blocks were recently fully refurbished.
Mr Purches said the centre had been transformed into a venue the community could be proud of.
The Roxburgh Entertainment Centre Improvement Committee received $1500 and would represent the Central Otago District at the 2008 TrustPower National Community Awards in Palmerston North in March next year.
Committee chairman Douglas Dance said slightly more than a million dollars had been raised for the entertainment centre which was now complete. Some of the money raised came in the form of grants.
‘‘We're absolutely blown away by the finished article. It's taken our group of volunteers 15 years,'' Mr Dance said.
The Arts and Culture category winner was Burn 729am - a volunteer radio station with two paid announcers serving the Maniototo.
TrustPower community relations co-ordinator Rebecca James said the radio station was focused on providing communication and entertainment to the wider community.
‘‘This radio station is not your average radio station - this one prides itself on being part of the community, and helps many others in the community,'' Ms James said.
Burn technician Ewan Mason said the present team had turned around the Ranfurly station.
He commended station manager Amie Pont for her involvement with the station during the past five years.
‘‘It is largely a labour of love, the Maniototo respects you very much and thanks you for what you have done,'' Mr Mason said.
Along with the new station name of Burn, promotions have included rewarding volunteers in the community, including those working with youth, fundraising for the Maniototo Youth Get Dotted programme and having a Radio-A-thon to raise funds for a new transmitter.
Ten per cent of the funds raised for the transmitter were donated to Maniototo Health Services for a new foetal monitoring device, which has since been bought.
Young people were being employed to work at the station and work experience was being offered to students.
