Jenny Utting wins Te Puke Citizen of the Year award

Jenny Utting has received the Lorna Treloar Memorial Te Puke Citizen of the Year award for 2020.

Jenny Utting says, modestly, that everything she has done for the community, she has done because she loves Te Puke.

Jenny last week received the 2020 Lorna Treloar Memorial Te Puke Citizen of the Year award from Wendy Ellis of Creative Te Puke Forum.

''It's a bit of a thrill, and a big surprise,'' she says.

Initiated by Creative Te Puke Forum in 2010, the award recognises people who have made outstanding contributions to the Te Puke community.

''Everything I've done for the community has been done because I love this place. We've been here for 60 years. It's a special town, a special place.''

Jenny married Barry in 1960.

They have three children, Mark, Judith and Wendy. Judith died from cancer aged 17 in 1981.

Jenny's faith in God helped her power through this traumatic time of losing a daughter and enabled her to help others in similar situations.

She has written a book simply entitled Judith that explains how with God's help they came through this time.

Barry and Jenny were foundation members of Te Puke Baptist Church, established in the 60s. She served the church in many ways including the missions committee, Sunday school teaching, leading home groups, as an elder, in prayer groups and the cooking meal bank.

''She has such a beautiful servant heart and many people in our community have benefited from her loving care,'' says friend Judy Abrahams.

Together with Harry and Marianne Orr, Barry and Jenny founded Eleos Trust which ran a respite care facility on their property in Rangiuru Rd, for people with disabilities. It was established in 1988 and continued until the early 2000s.

Many people went for a holiday at Eleos and were so blessed while they stayed there.

They were taken on outings and treated to wonderful care, says Judy.

When Barry and Jenny retired to town, Jenny set out to establish the Te Puke Community Gardens in 2011. This initiative has been providing vegetables to many people for years.

''I've loved what I have done with the community garden, and all the other parts of the community,'' said Jenny.

As well as the upfront involvement in all kinds of community initiatives, Jenny has quietly behind the scenes helped so many individuals and families.

She has visited them, prayed with them driven them to appointments, helped them with food and cash and all in a way that made those benefiting from her generosity feel valued and loved.

For more than seven years Jenny has been a loyal prayer warrior for the Open for Prayer team which is a group of believers from across the churches who meet every night to pray for our community and nation.

''Her wisdom and faith have been such a blessing to the team and the town,'' says Jenny.

''We honour you Jenny for your humility, wisdom and faithful service and prayer for our community.''