Editorial: Holding on for a hero from HB

With the big news events that have occurred this year, many of us have had our minds on the misfortune of others.

The Christchurch earthquake in February and the Hawke's Bay storm of late April caused death and destruction on a level that shocked both communities.

Hawke's Bay was extremely lucky to have experienced no loss of life in that storm and the mass flooding it caused. It could have so easily been a very different story.

In the aftermath of both events, people pitched in on a scale that had those who had been ravaged by nature's fury almost speechless with gratitude.

Think of the emergency teams, the search specialists, the medics and the citizens prepared to volunteer their time who headed from Hawke's Bay to Christchurch.

And what about the Magpie Army who pitched in to help dig Waimarama out of its misery of mud.

They are all heroes from Hawke's Bay who stood up when it mattered most this year.

It is somewhat surprising then to learn that there have been very few nominations from our region for the annual New Zealander of the Year Awards.

As the sponsor, Kiwibank, says: "These awards acknowledge the unsung heroes who contribute a great deal to New Zealand in different ways. Our country relies on those Kiwis who are making our communities and country great, so we encourage people to celebrate them by making a nomination."

Hawke's Bay woman Ros Rowe was a finalist in the Local Heroes category of the awards last year for her work with the Leg Up Trust which helps troubled youth and people with mental illnesses through its horses-as-healers programme.

Award categories are Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year, Countdown Senior New Zealander of the Year, Coca-Cola Amatil Young New Zealander of the Year, Mitre 10 Community of the Year, and Kiwibank Local Heroes.

Nominations close on Friday, October 14. The winners each receive a hand-crafted trophy and $5000 cash courtesy of Kiwibank.

Nomination forms are available online at www.nzawards.org.nz, at Kiwibank, Countdown and Mitre 10 stores or by calling 0508 692 927.

It would be nice to think some Hawke's Bay heroes will be in the running.