HEART Awards

This month we celebrated our fourth HEART Awards ceremony. Deciding on HEART Awards this year was a very humbling process. So many people have given their time and contributed to the HEART Movement. The number of agencies and community members involved in HEART interventions and training has grown beyond expectations. A core group of people who have received HEART Awards earlier and are still extensively involved with HEART agreed to stay out of consideration and help decide who would be acknowledged with an award this year.

HEART Awards are not a competition hence we do not want to do the traditional system of nominee and awardees. We have created a new category this year called HEART Acknowledgments. Denise Lee MP for Maungakiekie and Judy Whitman, the Chair of the Te Waipuna Puawai Board, presented the HEART Awards to the participants. Special acknowledgment was given to Cristy Trewartha, Kawkeb Sadik, James Hita, Rebecca Ruwhiu Collins, Shannon Tangi, Valerie Mayer, Raymond Kamuta, and Ani Koroa Wood. The HEART Learning Awards were given to Zohra Amiri, Roxanne Adams, Lynette Simpson, and Jason Tai. The HEART Practitioner Award went to Sirikit Diaz, and the HEART Champions Awards went to Philippa Holmes, and Teremoana. Our Partnership Awards this year went to Meth Education and Solution Services Ltd and Tamaki Community Development Trust. Faith Family Connect received the ‘Above and Beyond’ Award.

A huge thank you to everyone who showed up at the event. We want to say thank you again to Nick Tuitaisi and Maliaga Erick, for offering their time to share their experiences and tips on how to build a healthy and loving relationship within the family.