THE “lifeblood of the town” were recognised with the presentation of the annual Kawerau Community Awards last week.

On behalf of the Kawerau District Council, Mayor Malcolm Campbell presented two awards to the Kawerau Community Patrol for their group contribution and to Jocelyn Coburn for community impact.

Mayor Campbell said the Kawerau Community Patrol is the longest running voluntary night patrol organisation in the Eastern Bay and will celebrate 25 years in operation later this year.

“The group was initially set-up even before the Night Owls group by Kawerau Police Sergeant Tony Moller and after a brief absence re-started under the banner of Kawerau Community Patrol.”

“In choosing the recipients of the 2019 Kawerau Community Awards the group was a worthy choice given their long-service and importance to the district.”

All of the Kawerau Community Patrollers, bar their administrator, were present at the ceremony and chair Russ Torrie said it meant such a lot to the group who take pride in serving their community. Patroller Lynn Neal is one of the founding members having begun with what was originally the Kawerau Citizens’ Patrol and will celebrate 25 years with the group when they have their anniversary.

Mr Torrie said the group currently had six potential new members that were going through the Police vetting process to become volunteers.

The Kawerau Community Patrol monitor the Kawerau township, industrial areas and holiday homes after hours but are also involved with providing security at Kawerau events such as the Christmas in the Park, Christmas Parade, King of the Mountain Race, WoodFest and the canoe racing events.

The other recipient was Mrs Coburn whose long-standing involvement with many groups and organisations in Kawerau was acknowledged. Mrs Coburn was surprised by the announcement as she had been asked to attend the Council meeting by fellow Kawerau Rotary Club members under the guise of ‘Rotary business’.

Mayor Campbell said it was an honour to present Mrs Coburn with the award for making a community impact to the Kawerau District as she had given “outstanding service”.

Fellow Rotarian and 2018 Kawerau Community Award recipient Margaret Brierley had nominated Jocelyn Coburn because “you epitomise the Kawerau spirit”.

Mrs Brierley added, “Jocelyn you have grown with the town and the town has grown with you.”

Mrs Coburn’s involvement with the Kawerau community began when her children attended kindergarten, establishing committees for Putauaki and Kawerau South kindergartens. It continued at primary and secondary school with remedial reading and the establishment of the regional SPELD organisation. Today, she continues to coach reading for a student with English as a second language and was the Japanese Student Exchange coordinator and organising teacher at the former Kawerau College.

The list of community groups that Mrs Coburn has been involved with is long and includes Keep Kawerau Beautiful for more than 20 years, organising garden competitions, assisting with the plantings at Monika Lanham and now helping with the Friends of Stoneham Walk group.

Mrs Coburn is a trust board member of Mountain View Rest Home and Hospital and a committee member of Rotary, Probus and the Inner Wheel.

She is also the co-organiser of the weekly tramping club walks; assists with the Kawerau King of the Mountain, National Woodskills Competition, Hospice fundraiser, Sunshine on a Plate and with national collections for Daffidol Day, Pink Ribbon and the Blind Dog appeals.

Kawerau Councillor Chris Marjoribanks added that Jocelyn was also a founding member of the Kawerau Safer Community Trust where “she never missed a meeting and through her involvement then started off-shoot organisations such as the Kawerau Neighbourhood Support which is still going today.”

On receiving the framed award, Mrs Coburn said she was “absolutely shocked to receive the award as she is a quiet person, but someone who likes to be involved”.

“Having had ties with Rotary for much of my life as my parents were active members I have always tried to live by their motto of ‘service above self’.”

Mrs Coburn said she had enjoyed working with the groups she had given her time to and was extremely humbled by the acknowledgement.

After being presented with the award, Mrs Coburn headed back to continue her voluntary service at St Margaret’s Anglican Church community outreach with Maggie’s Op Shop. She also helps with the Wiggle Worms Preschool Music Group and Friday game’s mornings for the community with St Margaret’s Church.