The Far North's advocate for the elderly, Glenis Hill, has been publicly recognised for her services to the community.
The Whangarei Cake Decorators' Guild presented her with a cake last week, as they do every month in recognition of 'good sorts'.
Glenis was somewhat taken aback when she was summonedto Te Ahu, saying there were "heaps" of other more deserving people, but was very grateful.
"I'm blown away," she said. And Kaitaia Hospital social worker Vanessa Sucich-Coupland, who nominated her, doubted that there were too many others more deserving.
"I have great respect for Glenis, and appreciate all she does for the local elderly community, whom she has served brilliantly with wisdom, kindness and humour for well over a decade now," she said.
"I would like to see her receive a cake as an acknowledgement of her work and commitment."
Her citation said she always went the extra yard for her clients, and problem-solved way beyond expectation.
"For example, when she needed to organise odd job men, or furniture removers, to assist clients who couldn't afford to do this themselves, she and her husband Colin [with the clients' permission] simply rolled up their sleeves and got on with the job themselves," it added.
Glenis, who worked at Kaitaia Age Concern for more than 13 years, currently chairs the Kaitaia Family Budgeting Service.
The Guild awards a Good Sort cake once a month to deserving members of the Far North community. Nominations can be forwarded to Elaine (elainegold@xtra.co.nz), with up to 300 words explaining who the person is and why they deserve to be recognised.
"We want to pay back to the community, while also raising awareness of our guild," member Elaine Goldthorpe said.
The guild had 36 members, and was planning to form another in the Far North, if there was sufficient interest. Whangarei would host the national conference in November.
