Stars of the community nominations to brighten Agfest

This weekend, locals will have a chance to stop past the Stars of the Community stall at the Ōpōtiki Agfest to add their stories and nominations of people whose acts of kindness big and small made it easier to cope during the pandemic this year.

Ōpōtiki deputy mayor, Shona Browne said that reading some of the early nominations had been really heart-warming and she encouraged others to put pen to paper and get nominations in.

"Ngā Whetu o Te Mangoroa / Stars of the Community really is a chance to acknowledge acts of kindness big and small that helped during such an unusual time.

"Reading some of the first nominations that have come in was so special – just writing down what people had done made me really proud of the way that we came together as a community to support each other in so many different ways," Ms Browne said.

Nominations go in the draw to win a trolley full of groceries (sponsored by the Ōpōtiki Lions Club) and an emergency getaway kit.

Anyone at the Agfest on the weekend can stop past the stall and decorate a star, nominate someone they know and just chat more generally about emergency preparedness and local resilience with our local civil defence staff.

"I am loving the Agfest each year and it gets better and better. The district really gets behind it and it is like the ones in days gone by – an annual event we all look forward to. So my sincere thanks to all those that are putting the day together. Come on down and see us at the Stars of the Community stall on the weekend!" Ms Browne said.

Ends

Please make sure you get their permission for the nomination first and that the support they gave was within the Ōpōtiki district and that they live (or operate their business or group) in our district.

Use the online nomination form, or pick one up from the Council office, Library or i-SITE.

The Eastern Bay Agfest is held at Memorial Park, Ōpōtiki on Saturday 7 November from 10am to 3pm.