Lawrence has been announced as a finalist as one of the top communities in New Zealand.
The finalists in the New Zealander of the Year Awards were announced yesterday and the small township of Lawrence was named as one of three up for the New Zealand Community of the Year award.
Peter Cummings put together information about what the Lawrence community has achieved in the past few decades for the judges to assess.
He said he was delighted to find out the southern town was in the top three.
"I think it is very well deserved and I hope we can do better."
He said Lawrence had a "can-do and let’s do" attitude.
There had always been strong leaders supported by a generous community.
One of the bigger accomplishments was the construction of the Tuapeka Aquatic Centre which turned out to be a multimillion-dollar project supported by a town with a population of about 450.
Some of the projects included the development of a "beautiful pavilion" at the golf club and the installation of free wireless broadband down the main street — the first town in the country to offer the service.
Lawrence-Tuapeka Community Board chairman Garry McCorkindale said Lawrence was constantly faced with closures and downgrading of services.
Because of this Lawrence often "had to do things by itself".
"That’s the crux of the whole spirit of the town."
The "roaring success" of an integrated health and elderly care centre was one example.
"The attitude in Lawrence is that if something needs doing then we get out and do it because no-one else will."
The New Zealander of the Year Awards are in their eighth year. The awards celebrated people who used their passion to make New Zealand a better place. They are open to all New Zealanders.
The award winners will be announced at a gala event in Auckland on February 22.
