Takanini mountaineer and secondary school teacher Dave Williams has received the lion's share of a $25,000 cash prize that will enable him to complete his Sea2Summit7 challenge and raise $100,000 for male mental health.
The prize is part of Yealands Family Wines' Raise a Glass to Success campaign, which recognises and celebrates everyday Kiwis doing excellent things and challenges them to reach their next level of success.
Mr Williams mobilised social media networks and his supporter base to achieve 28.5 per cent of the voting and a cash prize of $7139. He will use the prize money to climb Mt Elbrus in Russia, Europe's biggest summit.
The other five contestants were awarded a share of the $25,000 prize in order of their share of public votes. Mt Roskill's Jason Holdaway from FRANK Stationery, who operates a buy-one-give-one model to donate stationery to New Zealand children in need, received $5000.
Jade Temepara of Hand Over A Hundy received $4200. Her non-profit mentors families, schools and community organisations to grow their own produce, She'll use the funds to cover travel costs and help pay for a new garden project in Fiji.
The competition's second South Island finalist, Juliet Arnott of Rekindle, received $3400 to help her business turn scrap wood from earthquake-damaged buildings in Christchurch into beautiful furniture.
Ponsonby woman Elena Keith of Hear for You was awarded $2900, which will go towards the first NZ Friendship Week for hearing impaired teens in April 2015, and Wellington singer-songwriter Iva Lamkum received $2300 towards her next album.
Planning is now underway for the 2015 Raise A Glass to Success campaign. Keep an eye on Yealands on Facebook or Twitter for more details.
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