A Hawke's Bay suburb that is often stigmatised is celebrating its unsung heroes for their successes and contributions to the community.
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, Taurus Taurima and Hastings District Councillor Henare O’Keefe celebrate at the ceremony last night. Photo: RNZ / Anusha Bradley
The Flaxmere Heroes calender for 2019, featuring some of the suburb's finest, was unveiled at a ceremony in Hastings last night.
Eighteen Flaxmere heroes are recognised in this year's calendar.
One of them is Taurus Taurima, the founder of Top Line Contracting, who said he could not believe he'd been included.
"When I found out I was nominated it was like I had been nominated for the Grammy Awards," Mr Taurima said.
When he started his business in 2016 with the aim of employing Flaxmere locals, he was told he'd be bankrupt within six months.
Others celebrated in this year's calender include Tangi Jones and her late husband Frank who have fostered of more than 300 children over the years.
As well as former Flaxmere community constable Bruce Grimshaw, local author Parehuia Shepherd whose self-published books have become Amazon hits, and Māori language champion Jeremy Tatere Macleod who is in charge of revitalising the language for Ngāti Kahungunu.
National barbering champion Peleti Oli, who tutors street kids, said being in the calender had always been a dream of his.
Peleti Oli, with his son Jesiah Oli, hopes to inspire others after his inclusion in the Flaxmere Heroes Calendar. Photo: RNZ / Anusha Bradley
Now that he was being included, he hoped to inspire others.
"If you make it in your backyard, your own backyard, then you've made it, and that's good enough for me and my family," Mr Oli said.
"Hopefully we're able to inspire some of the people here because a lot of them feel like they're not good enough."
The calender was started in 2009 by Hastings District Councillor and staunch Flaxmere resident and advocate, Henare O'Keefe.
Mr O'Keefe said in a year where Flaxmere's hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, the calender was a daily reminder that good things also happen here.
"Of times when you're the victim I should say of derogrotary comments, you do need reminding that 'no, that's not true' and we have 18 reasons here tonight," he said.
"We just need a friendly reminder, once every year, of what's residing in close proximity to us."
The calender will be hand-delivered to every Flaxmere home in the next few weeks.
Hawke's Bay region's Flaxmere community gathers to recognise unsung heroes in the area. Photo: RNZ / Anusha Bradley