Auckland Airport announces Gold Medal winners

Ten local schools, clubs and Marae were officially announced today as the winners of Auckland Airport’s second annual Gold Medal Awards.

Aimed at developing healthy young people in the Auckland region through sport and fitness, the Gold Medal Awards provide a total sponsorship fund of $25,000 to the successful recipients.

The awards, which are in their second year, were open to sports focused organisations that needed a helping hand to keep running or to achieve their goals.

After receiving over 80 applications, Auckland Airport officially revealed the winners today, who each received their share of the $25,000 at the ceremony held at the Airport Marae, Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa Marae.

Charles Spillane, Auckland Airport general manager of corporate affairs, was at the ceremony and said, “We have seen great results from our 2010 Gold Medal Awards, with all of our winners experiencing very real benefits from our sponsorship. It is fantastic that we can contribute again this year to the health and well-being of our community through the 2011 Gold Medal Awards.”

This year’s Gold Medal Award winners will use the funding for everything from purchasing a new waka ama (Polynesian outrigger canoe) to starting a soccer tournament.

Riverhead Primary School was one of the lucky organisations to receive a Gold Medal Award and plans to use the funding to buy athletic equipment. Dianne Cook, Deputy Principal at Riverhead Primary, said “We are thrilled to bits. We are a small school where money is an issue so it is a huge bonus to receive this sponsorship.”

“At the moment we have to borrow athletics equipment which means the children have to walk along a busy highway to use it. Winning a Gold Medal Award from Auckland Airport means we can now teach the children athletics on our school grounds much more frequently and effectively.”

Other recipients of the Gold Medal Awards included Oaklynn Special School who are set to buy new age kurling equipment and Te Kura Maori o Nga Tapuwae who are using the funding to buy Ki o Rahi gear.

The full list of Gold Medal winners is:

Papatoetoe Association Football Club, Rutherford College, Air Raiders Basketball Club, Manurewa Amateur Swimming Club, Riverhead Primary School, Kelvin Road School, Te Rahuitanga Te Kohanga Reo, Te Kura Maori o Nga Tapuwae, Southern Cross College, Oaklynn Special School.
Representatives from