Rewards Await Taranaki Battlers

Economist Gareth Morgan is looking for a few good Taranaki Battlers he wants to reward for making a difference. Nominations close next week for the Kiwi Battler initiative, organised by the Morgan Foundation to recognise people working hard and overcoming the odds to help in their communities. So far only three Taranaki nominations have been received. There will be 13 regional winners chosen and the Morgan Foundation will donate $10,000 to a charity of their choice, as well as giving them each $1000.

Good incentive, Mr Morgan said, for Taranaki people and groups to think hard about putting forward that special person who always lends a hand. "I would have thought charities up there could use the money. Are they rich?" "People out to make a material difference is what we want and they overcome high odds to do that."

Since announcing the competition, Mr Morgan said he has been humbled by some of the personal stories from around the country. These include surgeons doing great work, through to just everyday people cooking meals for their invalid neighbours. One woman was wheelchair bound but had managed to raise $200,000 for charity over the years, even though she had to write with her mouth.

"Hearing that sort of thing blows you out of the water," Mr Morgan said. "We tend to judge people in this country by their income. "But if we took these [battler] people away, we'd be looking a bit poxy."

To qualify for nomination the nominee has to have done some sort of community based activity and their contribution has to have achieved tangible benefits. Each region's nominees will be shortlisted to five battlers who the public can vote for. Once the 13 regional winners have been chosen, a judging panel will decide one to receive the national Kiwi Battler award. They will receive a further $2000 and another $20,000 for the charity of their choice.

The Morgan Foundation is a charitable trust, set up by Mr Morgan and wife Joanne with some of the proceeds of the Trade Me sale to Fairfax in 2006 by their multimillionaire son Sam Morgan.

Nominations can be made online at www.kiwibattler.com and close on July 27.

The winners will be announced in September.