The finalists in the Central Otago Awards, held every second year, were announced yesterday, along with the recipients of the community service awards.
Organised by the Central Otago District Council, the award prizegiving function will be held in Roxburgh on September 4.
Council brand manager Shirley Howden said the entries lived up to the district's ''A World of Difference'' slogan.
The awards put the spotlight on people ''achieving the exceptional and extraordinary and making a difference through their commitment and passion to their work and our community'', she said.
''They are people who exemplify living the regional values in their everyday lives.''
The recipients of the community service awards are Denis Cronin, of Alexandra, Doug Dance, of Roxburgh, Stuart Hore, of Naseby, and Jocelyn (Joss) Leyser, of Cromwell.
Ms Howden said all had given ''truly remarkable'' service to their communities over decades.
Dunstan High School pupil Emily Boud and Maniototo Area School pupils Ashleigh Smith and Josh White will vie for top honours in the youth category of the awards.
All were outstanding young leaders and ''exceptional young people'', Ms Howden said.
The finalists in the apprentice award are Keelan Baird, Jonathan Bates, Raman Parbhu, Daniel Rouxel and Kirsty Sutherland, all of Alexandra, and the judges were impressed by their highly professional attitude and approach to work.
The Fridge Butchery and Delicatessen is the sole finalist in the business excellence category.
Ms Howden said the finalist, like the others, would have to wait until the function to discover if it had made the grade to win the section.
Launched 11 years ago in Alexandra, the business was set up by Mark Wormald, who was joined by Scott MacDonald.
Bodean Cowley joined the business seven years ago and eventually bought Mr Wormald's share.
Business partners Jenny and Murray Hughes invested in the Fridge about three years ago.
The Fridge expanded to open a Cromwell shop soon afterwards and the business now employs 12 people in total - six full-timers and six part-timers, Mr Cowley said yesterday.
Scientist, entrepreneur and inventor Sir Ray Avery will be the guest speaker at the awards.
