Mayor bestows civic awards
Horowhenua mayor Bernie Wanden handed out a host of deserved awards at the Civic Award Ceremony on Tuesday night at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-po¯ .
Certificates of Recognition were awarded to Felicity Clarke, Bill Harvey, Derek Prior and Tony Robinson, Special Mayoral Awards to Eke Tangaroa, Christine Belsham, Kathy Mitchell and Catherine Lewis, and Civic Honours were awarded to Sharon Freebairn, Joanna Mason, Jan-Maree Hayes, Victoria KayeSimmons and Matai’a Aleni Feagaiga.
Each citation was lengthy, so the following is a brief summary of each.
Civic Honours Awards SHARON FREEBAIRN:
Sharon Freebairn is an active contributor to Waita¯ rere Beach and its residents and a member of the Waita¯ rere Beach Progressive Association, holding roles of secretary and chairwoman and involved in fundraising for community crime prevention cameras, that included “Long Lunches”.
Freebairn gained kudos for her engagement with Horowhenua District Council on behalf of her community with submissions to long term and annual plans, and grant applications. She was behind the Welcome to Summer initiative at Waita¯ rere Beach Domain encouraging the use of the community facility and welcoming new residents to the beach village.
She also played a pivotal role in fundraising for the book Waita¯ rere — Our Past and Our People and was heavily involved with the local beach wardens, community garden and Community Book Exchange.
JOANNA MASON:
Jo Mason, who served as Horowhenua district councillor from 2016 to 2022, has been actively involved with many organisations in Horowhenua. The former deputy mayor of the district served on many committees including Horowhenua Neighbourhood Support, Horowhenua Health Workforce Trust and the Disability Leadership Forum, and the Access and Inclusion Committee.
Mason is a current board member of the Horowhenua Super Grans, now known as Skills 4Living, a position she was appointed to in 2015 and is also currently a board member of the Horowhenua New Zealand Trust.
She had also been a Fairfield School board member and chairwoman, and as treasurer and secretary of Horowhenua Rowing Club was awarded Rowing NZ Volunteer of the Year in 2014.
JAN-MAREE HAYES:
Foxton woman Jan-Maree has volunteered her time to many organisations over a long period. Perhaps the most notable of her roles was with the Foxton Promotions Group, which instigated the Foxton Easter Fair 30 years ago.
The aim of the group was to grow the fair — it now has more than 200 stalls, music and family entertainment — while distributing profits back to the community to support schools and community groups. It remains a highlight of the Foxton social calendar.
She was also involved with Foxton Lions and the Athletics clubs.
VICTORIA KAYESIMMONS:
Former Horowhenua district councillor Victoria KayeSimmons is described as the quintessential volunteer, having served her community in a range of roles and responsibilities for more than 20 years.
Kaye-Simmons was a member of the Levin Budget
Service Board since 2013 and current chairwoman, and was on the board of Te Whare Mahana Community Hub where she helped establish Horowhenua Kai Club, a community initiative making fresh fruits and vegetables affordable.
She was appointed to the Horowhenua Family Violence Intervention Services Board in 2014 and is a current board member, and has given service to Montessori, Betty Montford Kindergarten, TS Tutira Sea Cadet Unit, the Organic River Festival and Lift off Levin Balloon Festival.
She was appointed chairwoman of Keep Horowhenua Beautiful in 2014, a position she holds today, organising clean-up weeks and other community initiatives, and continues to contribute to the Muau¯ poko Waitangi Day Event.
■ MATAI’A ALENI FEAGAIGA: Levin man Aleni Feagaiga has been
a member of Fale Pasifika Horowhenua for the past nine years, whose aim is to improve health, educational and social outcomes for Pacific People, and was made chairperson in 2016.
During Covid lockdown, Fale Pasifika Horowhenua was granted $10,000 from the Ministry of Social Development to support struggling Pacific families with fruit and vege boxes and meat and alleviate financial strain.
He personally delivered every support parcel for six weeks until the fund ran out.
Feagaiga has also been involved in the Pasifika Youth Jandal Jam and Pasifika Celebration Day festivals.
He is well-known in rugby circles as the current Horowhenua-Ka¯ piti coach, a valued employee of the HKRU, and vice-president and life
member of College Old Boys Rugby Football Club.
Certificates of recognition
■ FELICITY CLARKE: Waita¯ rere Beach woman Felicity Clarke, formerly of Shannon, was a volunteer with the Shannon Fire Brigade, Shannon Young Wives, Plunket Young Mothers Group, Shannon Saturday morning rugby and Variety Players.
She was also a volunteer at Shannon School and an active volunteer for the Plunket Society.
A member of the Levin Anglican Parish and St Aidan’s Waita¯ rere Beach Parish, she is the first person to arrive at church to ensure everything is ready for the Sunday service. She is also a current member and treasurer of the Waita¯ rere Beach Progressive and Ratepayers Association.
■ BILL HARVEY: Te Awahou Foxton man Bill Harvey has turned his love of three sporting activities — karate, boxing and rugby — into genuine social good for his community . He was made a black belt in karate in 1978 and started his own dojo, which is still going 45 years later.
During that time countless young people have benefited from his tutelage, not only physically, but also mental and psychological discipline. His approach is that martial arts is a peaceful approach to conflict resolution, bullying and violence.
Those same philosophies were at the forefront of a boxing gym he ran for many years, and in a long and distinguished career as a rugby referee.
■ DEREK PRIOR: Te Awahou Foxton resident Derek Prior was recognised for his community
contribution in taking lead roles with Foxton Little Theatre, Manawatu¯ Estuary Trust and Levin Riding for the Disabled organisations, who were all indebted to his skills and service.
With each organisation, he had filled a variety of voluntary roles requiring a massive amount of personal commitment and he was described as a man with many skills who would take up any task at short notice — from doing dishes to taking meeting minutes.
■ TONY ROBINSON: Foxton man Tony Robinson received his award for services to karate and rugby for 30 years, using his knowledge and skill to enrich others. He has given an extraordinary amount of his time to mentor and train participants of all ages, ranging from 5 through to adults.
He coached Manawatu¯ College