2017 Annual Awards - Volunteer of the Year Awards Part 3

We continue to take a look at our finalists for the Volunteer of the Year Awards in preparation for the 2017 Annual Awards that will take place on 25th November, 6.30pm at JetPark in Auckland.

The District Winners for the Volunteer of the Year Awards are as follow:

• Northland - Gary Traill
• Auckland - Gabe Marsters
• Waikato - Awards Night Not Happened
• Bay of Plenty - Doug Taylor
• Wellington - Kent Hawkins
• Canterbury - Nic Dann
• Midlands - Vicki Rae
• Southland - Andrea Dudley

Winners from each of the 11 regional District Associations are put forward as contenders for the coveted National Award. When deciding the judging panel considers the following:

• Engagement - ability to inspire goodwill and develop others
• Commitment - evidence of contributing time and dedicated service
• Impact - signs of influence on the community to achieve results

Our third finalist is Gabe Marsters. Gabe has been a member of the North Shore Squash Club for 13 years and he is a very active member of the club in so many areas giving many hours of volunteer time.

Gabe runs club night on a Thursday night and has done so for many years. Club night requires organising of people to be on and off the courts over the course of the night. A night when new and old members come along to play and socialise. It is also the night that many trying the sport or those players who have moved in to the area come along to play, look at the club, its facilities and to meet the members. Gabe is the person that greets them if the office is closed and the first impression they get of the club. Everyone comments on the friendly and welcoming personality that is Gabe. Club night is also that night that those who are looking to play competitively are graded by Gabe.

Ladies night was started in 2016 and originally run by Tyler but due to commitments she was unable to continue. Volunteers were called to take on the role and Gabe immediately volunteered to take on the role. He organises the night and then jumps on the court to give coaching to the ladies. Many of the ladies that have come to ladies club night are now playing competitively – interclub, tournaments and formed a team to compete at F Grade Superchamps eliminations – Auckland where they came 2nd overall.

Gabe was the coach for the D grade men Superchamps team. Gabe has coached this grade for the last 3 years winning Nationals in 2015. He organises those eligible for the team, arranges coaching which started in May this year. In August the team won the Auckland eliminations competition and traveled to Taupo in September to compete for the National title. The team was seeded 3rd and won the title for 2017.

Gabe has been a member of the committee for the past 5 years and is looking to stand again at the upcoming AGM. Gabe is present at every working bee and will willingly assist with any extra work that needs to be done in between working bees.

Gabe is also an active player competing at tournaments. He is captain of a masters interclub team and also fills in as required for a senior interclub team

Gabe was a volunteer for World Masters Games in April 2017. Before the commencement of the games he was involved with preparing the club and grounds ready for WMG. During the games he not only did the shifts that were allocated to him but also did many extra hours and extra shifts as required

Congratulations to Gabe on being a finalist for the Volunteer of the Year Award.