Supporting our young people

The club raised more than $25,000 in 1986, our 25th anniversary, to establish a fund to aid the youth of the Kawerau district.

The fund began with a function for club members and guests to vote for the best of three paintings by local artist Bev Ray. 100 prints of the winning painting were sold as raffle tickets, with the prize being the original painting. The other two art works were auctioned. The Bev Ray painting project raised a substantial sum towards the $25,000 target, and money from the former Kawerau Community Association was added later to pass the $25,000 mark.

Since 1987 the Kawerau Rotary K.C.A. Youth Trust has made 160 grants totaling $143,000 to assist young people, schools and organisations. As well as community projects the Club supports many Rotary International initiatives, including the International Youth Exchange, Summer Science Schools, RYLA  and Outward Bound.

The club also supports local young people through Tarawera High School and other organisations. At the National Woodskills Competition, New Zealand's premier event for wood crafters held as part of the annual Kawerau Woodfest, Kawerau Rotary has established a Rotary Accolade award for the best Tarawera High School entries in the National Woodskills Trust college age category. The Accolade award has prompted a strong increase in interest and entries from high school students.

Rotary Accolade entrants at the Woodskills prizegiving