News release
August 31, 2005

Speak up for your unsung Auckland heroes

They are the unsung heroes who let their deeds speak for themselves; the people who freely give of their time to enrich the lives of others.

And now City of Sails citizens again have a unique opportunity to honour the givers in their communities with the announcement of the second annual Aucklander of the Year Award.

The award, so successful in its inaugural year, is being expanded with the addition of a second category – Young Aucklander of the Year. The winner of this award must be aged 20 or younger on August 31, 2005.

The organisers have also appointed two of the city’s leading personalities to be the ambassadors of the awards – Jude Dobson for Aucklander of the Year and Bernice Mene for Young Aucklander of the Year.

The Auckland of the Year Award attracted more than 300 nominations in 2004 and the organisers expect that to grow with the addition of the new category.

“The response from the community was so big last year we really wanted to grow the event so it would be open to all Aucklanders, of all ages,” says The Aucklander publisher Chris Brown.

The awards are designed to recognise the selfless efforts of those in the community who give of their time to help others, often without reward.

The two unsung heroes will be announced at a function on 17th October, at the Auckland Museum. Each award winner receives a Gold Coast (Australia) holiday for four including accommodation and airfares worth more than $5,000.

Two runners up in each category also receive prizes as do the two people who nominate the award winners. Nominees must live in Auckland south of Orewa and north of the Bombay Hills.

As in its inaugural year, the event’s judges include high profile Aucklanders Judy Bailey and Mayor Dick Hubbard

Confirmed sponsors are The Aucklander community magazine, radio station Classic Hits, Countdown, AUT and Pacific Blue airlines.

- If you know of an unsung hero who deserves recognition for his or her selfless community works you can nominate that person by filling in the entry form in each edition of The Aucklander or online at www.classichits.co.nz or www.theaucklander.co.nz.

ENDS

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