Thursday, October 5, 2017
Ross McCullough
WITH nominations for the Rising Stars Awards coming in later than anticipated, the organizers of the bi-ennial event, Whakaatu Whanaunga Trust, have decided to push it back a few weeks.
Whakaatu Whanaunga Trust had wanted the nominations in as soon as possible so profiles could be prepared on the youth for their big night.
Unfortunately, that did not happen as hoped, and to give the youth and their profiles the respect they deserve, the event will now be delayed by two weeks. The black-tie glitzy event was to be on October 14, but has now been rescheduled for October 29.
Whakaatu Whanaunga Trust’s Rising Stars Awards are held bi-ennially, in recognition of youth in the community who are achieving, or having a positive impact across a range of areas. There are 10 category awards.
Those who have been nominated, need to have their whakapapa or origins link back to Opotiki.
Last month, before the problem with the late nominations emerged, event co-ordinator for the trust, Sylvia Rangiahua, said the nominations received at that point were dominated by girls with one Silver Fern and one Tall Fern in the mix for awards in the two sports categories.