The gathering of dozens of dedicated volunteers by Volunteering Central last week was ''a great reminder to anyone that there's a real community heart here,'' Queenstown Lakes Mayor Vanessa van Uden says.
The mayor was invited to speak at the postponed celebration of volunteering, part of National Volunteer Week, in the Wakatipu Senior Citizens rooms on Thursday.
Representatives from Abbeyfield, the Cancer Society, Citizens Advice Bureau, the Department of Conservation, Family Works, Lions, Orphans Aid International, Plunket, Red Cross, St John, Volunteer-ing Central and the Youth Booth enjoyed the rare opportunity to be the centre of attention and appreciation and socialise.
Ms van Uden paid tribute on behalf of the council to residents who selflessly and enthusiastically helped others.
''Volunteers play a vital role in villages, towns and cities around the world and nowhere more than here,'' she said.
''You typify the legendary Kiwi welcome and can-do spirit and when people from out of town and overseas recognise and share that fact, it's worth a thousand international billboards about Queenstown.''
