In 2010 The Morgan Foundation ran a competition to reward those Kiwis throughout the country who made significant contributions to their community.
Working with the NZ Police we wanted to identify and acknowledge the “grafters” and “battlers” in our community and say thanks to those who strive to make a difference at a local and national level. We asked the NZ public to nominate people within their region who
- did some kind of community focused activity (either as their job or in their spare time);
- showed determination and stick–at–it–ness to overcome obstacles;
- achieved benefits for their community.
A panel selected 5 finalists for each region and then the NZ public voted to decide the winning battler from each region. Winning regional Battlers received $1000 each, plus The Morgan Foundation donated $10,000 to the charity of their choice. The quality of the candidates was so high we were unable to decide on just one over-all winner, so we awarded the title to two Battlers:
Wellington / Wairarapa – Andrew Walklin Cystic Fibrosis Association of NZ In spite of living with cystic fibrosis, Andrew is focussed on serving his community. He’s a coach for junior cricket players and a mentor and peer support person for others with cystic fibrosis. He is also an active member of his Community Service group and other local charities. Andrew is currently involved in setting up a charity to support up-and-coming junior cricket players.
Canterbury – Josh South Child Cancer Foundation of Canterbury Josh works with disabled children/youth. He is active in the Child Cancer Foundation, coaches children’s swim squads, and is a motivational speaker who especially inspires young disabled people. His positive attitude & ability to overcome adversity has helped many young people make positive changes in their lives. Josh and Andrew will share the national Kiwi Battler prize, winning another $2,000 each plus an additional $10,000 each for Cystic Fibrosis Association of NZ, Andrew’s chosen charity and Child Cancer Foundation of Canterbury, Josh’s chosen charity.