A Twizel group, two volunteer fire brigades and two schools are the biggest winners in the latest round of grants from the Meridian Energy Ltd Waitaki community fund.
The fund has $1 million to distribute over three years, and it is managed by a panel of community members and Meridian staff who work together to help decide which initiatives should be supported.
Almost $100,000 was distributed in this round of funding.
The biggest grants have gone to the Twizel climbing wall ($20,000), the Twizel Volunteer Fire Brigade and Tekapo Volunteer Fire Brigade ($20,000), the Aoraki Mount Cook School ($18,000) and Omarama School ($15,000).
The Omarama School grant will help with the installation of a solar heating system for the school pool, which the school says will benefit the whole communityThe grant to the Twizel climbing wall will go towards a new competition wall at the Twizel Events Centre.
The Twizel and Tekapo Volunteer Fire Brigades' grant will be used to buy two emergency back-up generators and the Aoraki Mount Cook School will use its funding to extend its outdoor learning and play area.
Other grants: Ben Ohau Golf Club, Twizel ($10,000 to refurbish its clubhouse), Waitaki Mackenzie Merino Shears ($5000 towards the merino shears event), Waitaki Women's Wellness ($3800 for wellness workshops), Radio Twizel ($3000 for outside broadcasting equipment), Mackenzie Alpine Trust ($2052 towards a solar panel and mountain radio batteries for Macaulay hut), Kurow Junior Advisory Board Rugby ($2000 to support development of junior rugby) and Twizel Area School Netball Club ($960 for new uniforms).
Applications for the next round of funding close on September 30.
