Tauranga community stalwarts recognised with national award

Greerton couple Keith and Shirley Carter are founding members of the Tauranga South Community Patrol and have just received a national award. Photo / George Novak

A Greerton couple, who have given hundreds of hours of their time to help their community, have received prestigious national awards.

Tauranga South Community Patrol chairwoman Maureen Kathan said the Community Patrols of New Zealand Trust "Outstanding Duty of Service" awards presented to Keith Carter, 86, and his 85-year-old wife, Shirley, were "richly deserved".

This award is the Community Patrols of NZ's highest honour in recognition of the couple's longstanding dedication to community patrols, she said.

The Carters were founding members of the Tauranga South Community Patrol, formerly the Greerton Night Owls, which began in 2005 with a handful of volunteers.

Kathan said up until May, the couple both served on patrol committees in various roles, and had been "stalwart supporters" of all the patrol's activities over the years including the monthly car boot sale fundraiser at Greerton Village School.

"Keith and Shirley continue to this day to be there in the early morning to greet vendors and are the last to leave four or five hours later."

In 2013, Keith Carter was a part of the committee which organised the annual National Training Seminar held at Tauranga Racecourse attended by almost 300 patrollers.

"This was the most successful training seminar in the history of the patrol," Kathan said.

"Keith and Shirley are absolutely amazing giving people and the list of ways they have made a big difference in our community is endless."

Kathan said the Carters for several years were volunteer drivers taking cancer patients to medical appointments.

"They have dedicated many hundreds of hours working with the police, the patrollers, and local businesses to make our area a safer place to live and work."

The Carters are also actively involved in their local indoor bowling clubs and for many years have helped train Tauranga Intermediate pupils competing in the Aims Games.

An emotional Keith Carter, 86, said the national service award came as a huge surprise.

"It's the last thing we expected to get and I feel so humbled and honoured to be acknowledged for doing something we thoroughly enjoy."

Shirley Carter, 85, said giving back to the community was something instilled in them from their early farming backgrounds when neighbours naturally looked out for each other.

"Being recognised in this way was such a wonderful surprise."

She said while they no longer going out on patrol, she and her husband still got lots of satisfaction from keeping their eyes and ears peeled for "crims up to no good".

Drawing on his military service, Keith Carter said it was a natural fit for him to become involved in the community patrol and he and his wife loved keeping active.

"We get to meet and work with some really interesting people and the appreciation we get back from those we help makes what we do so rewarding.":