Gary Templeton’s dedication to his hometown of Tuatapere has been recognised with a Community Service Award.

The Tuatapere Te Waewae Community Board, in conjunction with Southland District Council, presented the award to Mr Templeton at a function at the Tuatapere Town and Country Club on Monday.

Local Southland district councillor George Harpur made the presentation to Mr Templeton, and flowers to Mr Templeton’s wife Glenda.

Mr Templeton’s involvement in a range of sporting organisations and activities spans many decades.

He has been a lifelong passionate coach, supporter, administrator and volunteer worker for a wide range of Tuatapere sporting teams, ranging from all grades of Waiau Star rugby teams through to tennis, bowls, boxing and woodchopping.  Mr Templeton regularly travelled all over Southland to follow Waiau Star, and followed local boxers and woodchoppers throughout New Zealand and internationally as well. Mr Templeton was himself a competitive axeman.

He has been associated with many organisations, including the Tuatapere Trails committee and the Tuatapere Axemen’s Athletic Society.

He has been heavily involved with the Tuatapere Domain Board, as the caretaker of the complex and voluntarily spending many hours every week organising periodic detention workers to mow the grass, as well as helping to create the Tuatapere Trails network.

Mr Templeton is a regularly seen figure on the gate at Tuatapere New Year’s Sports days.

Article added: Wednesday 15 June 2022