The Foundation Cup – Volunteer of the Year

Squash in Canterbury would struggle to exist if it wasn’t for all the volunteers that are the lifeblood of Squash with the district. Volunteers make our sport happen in the community and are vital to the development of the game.

The Volunteer of the Year award rewards outstanding contribution from a volunteer to the sport of squash within Canterbury.

Nomiees are judged on the following;

• Engagement – ability to inspire goodwill and develop other
• Commitment – evidence of contributing time and dedicated service
• Impact – signs of influence on the community to achieve results

This is such a hard category to choose a winner. Every year the panel receive plenty of very worthy strong applications and this year wasn’t any different.

We received four nominations, all of who are very worthy of receiving this year's Squash Canterbury’s Volunteer of the Year Award:  

• Bronwyn Brown (MCOB)
• Kate Fox (Burnside)
• Marlene Fox (Oxford)
• Kirsty Whiteside (Football)

This year the panel were completely torn between two nominees and decided to jointly award the Squash Canterbury Volunteer of the Year to two nominees; Kirsty Whiteside and Bronwyn Brown. Congratulations to both and the other two nominees. 

Kirsty Whiteside (Football);

• Kirsty is currently President of Christchurch Football Squash Club and this is her ninth year on the committee and second year as president.
• She has worked hard to encourage more involvement from all club members and to ensure the football committee have the tools and information to facilitate this
• She is proactive in fundraising, sponsorship, and has been proactive with funding applications this year. This includes being successful with seven out of nine funding applications and being the key driver behind all the fundraising for the replacement of a club’s floor; approx. raising $20,000
• She is actively involved in all functions within the Football Squash Club.  In particular, she organises tournaments held at the Football Squash Club, she also oversees the Saturday bar duties for the Western Football Club throughout the soccer season.

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Bronwyn Brown (MCOB)

• She is a grassroots player from a grassroots club
• She has been the welcoming face of her club.  She makes a lasting first impression and her level of dedication and care for new or potential members often ensures their first experiences with the College Squash Club are welcoming. She often takes this a step further, going as far as making sure our new members are personally introduced to others, and over time, interacting with other players to ensure they are getting social games and being inducted into the club.
• Her time commitment and dedicated includes multiple voluntary club roles – Treasurer, Statistician, and supporting Club Captain
• Her impact within the club and to the wider community of squash players and the people of Marlborough is well known, and well appreciated. She is there unsung hero, and a very worthy contender for Volunteer of the Year.

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