Thousands of volunteers are quietly beavering away behind the scenes every week, keeping Taupō ticking over.

Last weekend, it was a rare chance for those volunteers to come together, show everyone what they do and hand out some recognition to those who go the extra mile and then a mile or two on top of that.

The weekend was split into two parts with the Community and Volunteer Expo (Comavol) filling the Great Lake Centre on Saturday, June 7 and then the Tremains Volunteer Service Awards straight after.

The hall was jam packed with more than 50 stalls, manned by volunteers, and more than 500 people coming through the doors to check it all out.

Youth award – Shanay Lang

When it came time for the Tremains Volunteer Youth Service Award, Volunteer Great Lake Taupō trustee Ian Jackson says it was it was really “a celebration of hope”.

Shanay has been a “driving force” in the Taupō Girls Brigade, and helps strengthen the organisation, with engaging activities for members from 5-17 years old.

“She has fostered connection, confidence and growth amongst the girls, truly embodying the mission of the Girls Brigade,” Ian said when presenting the award.

“Shanay has been a driving force in the Taupō Girls Brigade, creating an inclusive and empowering environment where young girls can thrive.”

Shining Star – Shawn Vennell

For more than a decade Shawn has been the driving force behind Greening Taupō and the restoration of Wairakei Drive, transforming it into a flourishing corridor of native forest.

“Balancing his work as a dedicated volunteer with running a business, Shawn has led efforts to establish more than 45,000 native plants – that’s a jungle,” Ian says.

“Known as The Vegetator, I'm surprised there's not a green cape in there.”

That project has now extended into Wairakei Village itself with a 4ha plot also being cleared of tonnes of rubbish and planted out with native plants in a huge community effort.

“Shawn’s dedication has shown a remarkable difference, that one's person's vision and perseverance can make.”

Top Team – Tidy Taupō

Sometimes it takes the power of a team to create lasting change and Tidy Taupō has grown from a shared idea, planted on a Facebook post on January 1, 2017.

They now have 1600 members who share their vision and 13 regulars, many of whom work many hours every week and who have collectively picked up more than 13 tonnes of rubbish.

Volunteer of the Year - Raewyn Beattie

Raewyn was featured last week, so we won’t repeat that but she was one of an “incredible” number of people who were nominated Ian says.

“Raewyn is the heart of her (Southern Lake Taupō) community, dedicating her time and energy to countless initiatives that strengthen and connect those around her.”

“For all of Raewyn's service and impact on the community, we are proud that Raewyn is the Tremaine Volunteer of the Year 2025. “