More than $5000 was given to charity groups last night.
But it was Homes of Hope, a charity that sees abused and neglected Western Bay kids cared for and protected, that took home the big trophy of the night.
The organisation won the supreme award and $1500 prize money at the TrustPower Tauranga Community Awards at Club Mount Maunganui.
Homes of Hope Charitable Trust can now represent the district at the 2011 TrustPower National Community Awards in Ashburton.
TrustPower community relations representative Suzi Luff said more than 100 volunteers were part of Homes of Hope and did everything from maintenance around the homes to gardening, cleaning and sewing.
"With three homes in the Tauranga area, children are cared for by a committed team of loving house parents and support caregivers and a solid community of unseen helping hands." Cameron Nguyen from Mount Maunganui College won the Youth Community Spirit Award, which recognises secondary school students' service to the school and the community.
Miss Luff said Cameron was passionate about giving children an opportunity to get involved in dance.
Cameron had also volunteered at food festivals and cultural fundraising nights and helped the Red Cross and CanTeen.
This year 84 groups nominated for the awards.
Other winners:
Heritage and Environment, Winner: Tauranga SPCA, Runner-Up: Bay of Plenty Tree Society; Health and Well Being, Winner: Project Fullstop, Runner-Up: Let's Get Growing,
Otumoetai Community Garden; Commendation: Tauranga Citizens Advice Bureau; Arts and Culture, Winner: Detour Theatre Trust, Runner-Up: 16th Avenue Theatre, Commendation: Inzpire Dance Company; Sport and Leisure, Winner: Tauranga Special Olympics, Runner-Up: Papamoa Football Club, Commendation: Tauranga Regional Multicultural Council Inc; Education and Child/Youth Development, Winner: Asperger's Connections, Runner-Up: Tauranga Astronomical Society; , Special Regional Commendation, Rise Up Tauranga.
Youth Community Spirit Award runners up: Claire Gourley of Bethlehem College and Chennoah Walford of Tauranga Girls' College.
