West Otago Health will represent the Clutha district at the 2015 Trustpower National Community Awards, in Dunedin next March.
The volunteers behind the trust and health company donated more than 20,000 hours of their time, raised $3.5 million, and built a new family health centre and home for the aged in Tapanui, which opened last August.
West Otago Health Trust chairman Allister Body said virtually all of West Otago's 2200 residents volunteered in some way to make the facility a reality.
Since opening, the trust had been approached by groups from Bluff, Akaroa, Te Anau, Palmerston and Methven seeking advice as to how to establish their own medical centres.
Category winners
Heritage and environment: runner up, West Otago Remembers; winner: Tuapeka Lawrence Community Group; health and wellbeing: runner up, Operation Sugar; winner, West Otago Health Trust; arts and culture: runner up: West Otago art and craft exhibition; winner: Knit and Yarn; sport and leisure: runner up, Stepsisters Marching Group; winner: Kaitangata Black Gold BMX; education and child/youth development: runner up, South Otago Family Works buddy programme; winner: Kaitangata car show and run. Supreme winner: West Otago Health Trust. Youth spirit: Dion Falconer, Blue Mountain College.
