Keep New Zealand Beautiful life memberships awarded
Friday 17 March 2017
Keep New Zealand Beautiful life memberships awarded
Colin Brown – HDC Civic Honour Award
Keep Levin Beautiful volunteer Colin Brown has been made a Life Member of Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB).
Former KLB volunteer and former Horowhenua District Councillor Tony Rush, who now lives in the South Island, has also received a KNZB life membership.
Mr Brown was presented with his award at last night’s Council meeting by Councillor Victoria Kaye-Simmons, who is also the KLB chairperson and the Local Government New Zealand representative on the KNZB board.
Cr Kaye-Simmons said that Colin is a very active member of the Horowhenua community, particularly as an advocate for town pride and environmental issues, and is generous with his time and own resources.
“Colin is and has made a profound contribution to our Keep Levin Beautiful group. He displays passion for our community and how we present ourselves to our residents and visitors, and has had such a positive influence of change and improvement in Levin and wider Horowhenua.”
Cr Kaye-Simmons said this was one of the reasons why Mr Brown was invited by Council to join the working party to co-create the Pride and Vibrancy Action Plan, alongside Council officers, Elected members and community representatives.
Last October, Mr Brown also received KNZB’s Ruud Kleinpaste Award, given to a volunteer “whose efforts to positively enhance the organisation’s mission and values have gone beyond that of what many volunteer KNZB members may undertake”.
On accepting his KNZB life membership award, Mr Brown said it was an unexpected honour.
He acknowledged fellow Keep Levin Beautiful members “who do a lot of work and a stunning job for such a small group”.
“Why do we do it? We don’t believe we can take pride in our towns and walk around with our heads held high if there is litter on streets and graffiti on walls,” he said.
“However, we believe Horowhenua has a wonderful future, but only if we all take care of it, take pride in it, and make it a better place for us, our children and grandchildren.”
District Mayor Michael Feyen congratulated Mr Brown, describing him as humble, passionate and productive.
“Colin, I would like to say congratulations on behalf of Horowhenua District Council for this recognition. Listening to what Cr Kaye-Simmons said about you, I can certainly see why you have been made a Life Member of Keep New Zealand Beautiful.”
Mayor Feyen also acknowledged Tony Rush’s KNZB life membership, saying he made a valuable contribution to Horowhenua.
“Tony would often be seen out and about removing graffiti, as part of his passion for this community, and he threw his heart and soul into the many projects undertaken by Keep Levin Beautiful, as well as serving on the Keep NZ Beautiful Board as Chairperson and a committee member.”
For more information about Keep New Zealand Beautiful, visit www.knzb.org.nz
ENDS