Bay life guards special service awards

Kent Jarman. Photo/File

Surf Life Saving New Zealand has announced Bay of Plenty surf life savers among 38 receiving special service awards at this year's Awards of Excellence.

Christiaan Maarhuis and Andrew Cochrane, both from Waihi Beach, and Damian Munro, from Mount Maunganui, will all be honored with a service award.

Kent Jarman, from Mount Maunganui, will be presented with a 50 year badge.

Every year the awards were given to Surf Life Saving members to officially honour their dedication to Surf Life Saving and recognise how much they had given to their local communities over the years.

Holders of the SLSNZ Service Award were given outstanding service to Surf Life Saving at club, regional, or national level over a period of years.

The 50 Year Badge was given to members who have dedicated 50 years of service to Surf Life Saving within New Zealand.

The 2016 Surf Life Saving Awards of Excellence was taking place at the Heritage Hotel, Auckland on September 24.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand chief executive Paul Dalton said the annual awards were a fantastic opportunity to honour all of the dedicated members who had given so much to their local communities over the years.