Wairoa Deputy Mayor Denise Eaglesome-Karekare describes being nominated for the New Zealand Local Hero of the Year awards as being ‘an award for everyone’. 

Receiving a medal and certificate of achievement, Mrs Eaglesome-Karekare was recognised nationally for her community work and is one of 100 New Zealanders to have been nominated.

The Wairoa Young Achievers Trust chief executive is humbled to receive the nomination. “My success does not come without the help of many others. It is not my award, it is for everyone who helps out.”

Included in the biography highlighting her achievements is her 14 years of service to CACTUS, helping arrange food parcels during Covid-19 lockdowns, and chairing the J H Mitchell Takitimu

Memorial Scholarship that assists Māori students go on to further education.

“Helping locals aged 16 to 65 years old to get their drivers licence has been something I have enjoyed doing. With funding from the Department of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Social Development, a lot of people have been able to obtain licences to help them gain employment.”

Giving back to the community and seeing people grow is Mrs Eaglesome-Karekare’s main motivator.

“I’ll put my hand up and say yes to opportunities that benefit the community.

“I do have to sacrifice whānau time, but I’m passionate about Wairoa.”

Mrs Eaglesome-Karekare is one of three Hawke’s Bay residents to have been nominated in the category.

An independent and diverse judging panel made up of 50 judges from across Aotearoa had the unenviable task of evaluating and whittling down this year’s Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year nominations to the 100 medallists. Semi-finalists for this award, and the six other award categories, will be announced mid-December.

Winners will be announced at the New Zealander of the Year Awards Gala Dinner in March 2023.

Caption: Wairoa Deputy Mayor Denise Eaglesome-Karekare was nominated as one of 100 New Zealanders for the 2023 New Zealand Local Hero of the Year in recognition of her community work.

1 December 2022

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