Graeme Purches, TrustPower's community relations manager, has been all over New Zealand with the TrustPower Community Awards, and he reckoned on Monday night that the Far North was as close as the North Island came to replicating the South Island's West Coast.
Far North people were "real", he said, citing Nga Mahi mo te Tangata Trust's Peter Furze, who told the gathering that if community groups worked together they could do all sorts of "stuff" (he used another word), and another Kaikohe A, P&H; Association's Eric Alexander, who said he'd been told to leave feeding the chooks and get to the awards.
Another had complained that getting money out of the Department of Conservation wasn't easy, but he'd had a "pash" from the DOC lady when she arrived.
"I'm not complaining," Mr Purches said. "You haven't all won awards tonight but you're all winners," he added.
Those who won awards, and came close, were as follows.
Heritage, environmentRunner-up - Taipa Beach Improvement Society.
Winner - Focus Paihia Community Trust, which over the past 12 months has facilitated seven major projects carried out by the Paihia Phantom Placemakers, and two additional projects that were of immeasurable value to their town. Projects included a four-stage, $150,000 CCTV coverage plan for Paihia and the completion of Bay Belle Welcome Garden and revamp of Maiki Hill picnic area, lookout and toilets.
Health and wellbeingCommended - Foster Hope Northland.
Runner-up - Kaikohe/Umawera St John.
Winner - Nga Mahi mo te Tangata Trust, whose innovations include "Surf's up", which saw 60 people with disabilities give surfing a go with the help of more than 150 volunteers. The "Puku Project" promotes wellbeing and healthy living through gardening, preparing food and sharing skills, while the flagpole project involved the installation of 60 large flags, symbolising the kaupapa of "Look up not down".
Arts and cultureCommended - Nga Kaikaranga o Te Uri o Tai (Pawarenga).
Runner-up - Ceili @ Mangonui.
Winner - Kaikohe Community Arts Council, runner-up in 2012, which promotes art and culture in its many forms, to bring prominent artists and performers to Kaikohe for the benefit of the community and to encourage youth to develop their natural abilities. Sculpture in the Vines, Arts on Tour, Art to Wear, Christmas parades and the exhibition of local works in The Spirit of Kaikohe are among its achievements.
Sports and leisureRunner-up - The North Hokianga Junior Sports Club.
Winner - BaySport, formed in 1990 and now providing facilities for close to 1300 people across a range of sports.
Education, child/youth developmentRunner-up - Kaikohe Agricultural Pastoral & Horticultural Society.
Winner - The Ones with Pencils, an art collective run by a motivated group of youth for youth, most of them still at school. The gallery in Kerikeri formed part of the overall goal to provide the community with a space to expand creative horizons and showcase work. The team opened the gallery for 36 hours a week, providing art classes on weekends, holidays and evenings, along with exhibitions and creative events such as puppet-making, paper mache, film nights and face-painting.
Supreme winnerKi-o-Rahi Akotanga Iho Incorporated.