The few years during which New Zealand abandoned knighthoods and royal honours always felt a bit empty around Queen's Birthday.
One does not have to be an ardent royalist to appreciate the value of the Queen's Birthday Honours. They sit comfortably with our own home-grown accolades such as the New Zealand Orderof Merit.
Queen's Birthday Honours have a special place in our history as well-recognised acknowledgement of either service to the community or notable contribution to a particularly sector and, therefore, the nation.
Recipients of Queen's Birthday Honours are typically the type of contributors who never expected to be awarded such an accolade. They are, however, seldom refused, as those who receive them often see the honour as recognition of not just their own efforts but those of the many people who have worked alongside them over the years for the betterment of the community.
Hawke's Bay's Ken Gilligan, the chairman of Cranford Hospice, was yesterday made an Officer of The New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business. But as Hawke's Bay Today outlined, his service to our community is equally impressive.
Just two nights earlier Mr Gilligan was singing a song on his Washburn guitar at the annual Midlands Charity Wine Auction, this year held at Elephant Hill. He must have been in key, for the auction raised some $144,000 for Cranford.
"Everyone has something to offer," is Mr Gilligan's summation of service. "If people didn't volunteer for the unpaid work then nothing would ever get done."
Also recognised from around the region were Judge Paul von Dadelszen (Queen's Service Order for service to the family court), Henare O'Keefe (Queen's Service Medal for services to Maori and the community), Ivan Young (QSM for service with the Napier Operations Support Unit), Susan Page (QSM for service to the community), Gwen Fairbrother (QSM for services to Dannevirke and for her philanthropy), and Jennifer Roper (QSM for services to the community).
Our congratulation and thanks to you all.
