Councils
Nominations are now open for the annual Gore District Community Awards, and changes to two of the sports categories will hopefully make it easier to recognise the efforts of the district’s sports stalwarts and stars.
There are 10 awards categories, including the Sport Southland Community Coach of the Year, the Eastern Southland Junior Sportsperson of the Year, and the MLT Services to Sport Award.
Changes have been made this year to the Services to Sport, and Junior Sportsperson award to allow more people to be eligible to enter.
Previously the Services to Sport award was the domain of sports administrators, but this year has been opened up to include anyone giving up their time regularly for sport, including referees, umpires, and volunteers.
Changes to the Junior Sportsperson of the Year award will this year mean that young people are not required to be representing an Eastern Southland team, in order to be eligible to enter, they simply have to live in the Gore district.
Sport Southland chief executive Brendon McDermott said awards such as these were extremely important in recognising and celebrating the efforts of community stalwarts when it came to the region’s sport.
“So much goes in to keeping community sport running at all levels, and events like the Gore District Community Awards, are a positive way to reinforce the importance of community.”
Gore District Council events and promotions coordinator Emma Carle said everyone should be able to think of at least one person they could nominate for the Awards, and urged everyone to take a look at the revised criteria for each award.
“Our community is full of people, young and old, who are passionate about what they do. This is an opportunity to acknowledge them at a formal occasion for wider recognition from the community.”
This year’s awards gala function will be held at the Gore Town and Country Club Stadium on Friday October 26.
The Award categories are:
- Gore District Civic Award
- Sport Southland Community Coach of the Year
- Eastern Southland Junior Sportsperson of the Year
- MLT Services to Sport Award
- Anderson Lloyd Contribution to Arts and Culture Award
- Gore Musical Theatre Emerging Performing Artist Award
- JD Souness Young Achiever of the Year
- Soroptimist International of Gore Woman of the Year
- The Ensign Customer Service Award
- Mainland Minerals Environment Award