Verona Cournane, Queenstown

Verona has been the chairperson of Queenstown’s Community Support Centre, Happiness House for the last 7 years and has been nominated by its staff signifying how appreciated her work is. She is not only known as a great leader of the organization but also as a wonderful guide and mentor to the Happiness House staff. Without Verona the Trust would not be able to achieve some of the great work it does in the Queenstown community. Verona is also the Queenstown Community Mental Health team leader and provides help and support to a variety of other community organizations including the X-it Youth Centre, Strengthening Families, PACT and Supporting Families.

Craig Ferguson, Queenstown

Craig (Ferg) is Queenstown’s local Classic Hits announcer and has been a part of the Wakatipu community for 23 years. He spends much of his personal time organizing and participating in fundraising events, working on committees, MCing for fundraisers, and as the public spokesperson for a number of organizations. Some of which he is involved with are: Founding Trustee Member of the Bruce Grant Youth Trust, President of Remarkable Runners (part of Athletics club), Active committee member and MC for Sevens with Altitude, Committee member and highly involved with the Queenstown Swimming club, assistant coach for Wakatipu Warriors under-13 Rugby Teams, Founding member of Wakatipu sports users club, MC for Cromwell rugby fundraiser and MC for Starry Eyed – Wanaka.

Pete Bullen, Wanaka

Pete has been the Chairman on the Board of Trustees for Wanaka Primary School since 2006 and has been instrumental in providing Wanaka with a new, state of the art Primary School. He petitioned to the Ministry of Education endlessly to secure agreement on a new school and then project managed the build delivering a school that exceeds expectations and was under budget.   The futuristic technology installed in the school where in large a result of Pete’s knowledge and awareness of these features.

Pete believes that ‘every person has their time to give’ and he has dedicated many hours improving the education facilities in Wanaka.

Pauline and Bert Miller, Alexandra

Pauline & Bert have been heavily involved with research on Cemetery records for the past 11 years with the objective or recording, photographing and documenting information that has benefited local people and those throughout the world who had ancestors born and bred in the days of the gold-rush.  This has been a labour of love and totally at their own expense.
They have travelled down many a dusty road to the cemeteries and in the words of their nominator make life easier for keen genealogists tracing their family history.

Molly Wise, Queenstown

Molly’s work with the Salvation Army has spanned many years including running the local shop, going to the local rest homes, visiting pubs on a Friday night and serving the community in numerous activities.  Whether it be a stranger or someone she knows, Molly always has a kind word and looks for a practical solution delivered with bounds of enthusiasm and warmth.