The following recipients were awarded Life Membership to Athletics Waikato Bay of Plenty at the AGM held Sunday 10^th August – Pam Kenny and Ray Young

Pam Kenny QSM

Pam joined the Rotorua Athletic and Harrier Club in 1966, and became an executive member in 1977, holding various positions from Treasurer, Selector and Vice President and President. All these roles were in a voluntary capacity.

At Waikato athletics level she is one of the few athletes to have worn the Waikato colours for 25 consecutive years covering track and field, cross country and road events. During her competitive activities she won seven New Zealand championship titles (high jump), numerous places in the same event as well as being placed in 400 and 800 metre and relay events. Being a member of the winning Waikato team at the New Zealand cross-country championships in Whangarei in 1981 is one of her prized achievements. Internationally she represented New Zealand at the Perth Empire Games 1962 in the high jump, finishing 10th in the final, and the Pan Pacific Games 1979 (Japan) and 1973 (Canada). In latter years Pam has won titles at the World Masters Track and Field Championships – 1981 400 and 800 metres, 1987 – 800 and 1500 metres.

In between competing she has contributed to the administrative side of the sport at both Club, Centre, National and International levels, managing teams to New Zealand and World Championships, a Centre track and field and harrier selector for a number of years, (through the seventies to mid-nineties) a top graded New Zealand official, coaching and advising the young and old in the sport athletics, and since 1970 doing a large amount of the behind the scene work for the Rotorua Marathon with her late husband, Dennis who was the race director for 34 years.

1980 saw Pam receive an Athletics Waikato service award, 1988 the Centre President, and in 1990 Athletics New Zealand long service award, plus a District of Rotorua community award in 1992. Pam was created a life member of the Rotorua Athletic Club on 11 August 1989 and on amalgamation of the Rotorua Athletic Club and the Ngongotaha Track Club (1991) life membership of the Lake City Athletic Club.

In January 2006 she had the honour of being one of 10 Rotorua citizens that carried the2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games Baton down Fenton Street. However, as she did not want to take the honour on her own took with her 10 children from the Lake City Athletic Club.

Her involvement with the sport of athletics goes back to 1957, when she joined the Putaruru Athletic club as a teenager and continues today. She has always made herself available to help club athletes with any aspect of their training and always is supportive of all members whether they are children, elite athletes, experienced or new athletes. Pam has for many years been an integral member of the club’s sub committees that organize the Track section, Cross Country and Road section as well as the annual half marathon, marathon and Forest Relay. She has also been a delegate on the Waikato Centre committees which involved a lot of travel and weekend meetings which she attended at her own cost. She also helped all the local schools when they needed assistance with their athletic events. Pam always puts athletics first and has in the past and continues to spend hours in the organisation of Lake City. The club could not have continued to function without the contribution she has made.

Pam and her late husband Dennis were both honoured with Queens Service Medals in 2008, for their 30 years of service to the Rotorua Marathon.

Ray Young

Ray Young, began his involvement in athletics in New Zealand from when he arrived from Australia in 1968, and retired from all athletics involvement in 2021.

Initially living in Wellington, Ray was involved with Kiwi ACC and Wellington Harriers. On moving to Auckland he joined the Calliope Club, and on moving to Tauranga in 1979 became involved with Tauranga Ramblers Harrier Club and Tauranga Athletic Club. He competed for and served on the committees of all these clubs, and represented the Wellington, Auckland and Waikato Centre’s as a competitor.

Ray’s first experience as an official was at the Australian Marathon Championships in 1964. He still has his official’s badge from this competition.

After helping at competitions in New Zealand for many years, Ray became a graded official in 1994 and officiated at numerous Athletics NZ Championships, both Track and Field and Out of Stadia, holding A gradings in Track, Jumps, Throws, Walks and Out of Stadia.

Ray was an Oceania Area Technical Official for four years and officiated at three Oceania Athletics Championships and two Pacific Games.

Ray has been a regular official at Waikato- Bay of Plenty competitions at all levels, and in all disciplines. His last event was the 2021 North Island Secondary Schools Championships, where he was a field event Referee.

Ray acted as the official’s coordinator for events at the Tauranga Domain track. He also assisted at many official’s training sessions, where his experience was invaluable.

Ray has been President of Athletics Tauranga Inc (Tauranga Ramblers) and Athletics Waikato-Bay of Plenty. He has also been Secretary-Treasurer of the Athletics NZ Officials Association.

In the 1980s and 1990s Ray was involved as a coach with Mount Maunganui College athletics and cross country teams. He also regularly contributed to athletics news columns in the Bay Sun newspaper, and to weekly athletics news on Newstalk ZB Tauranga.

Ray was involved in the development of the all-weather track at the Tauranga Domain, and has served on the Tauranga Millennium Track Trust, including as Secretary.

In 2020 Ray was a worthy recipient of an Athletics New Zealand Merit Award.

SERVICE AWARDS – the following were awarded Service Awards for their service to athletics for over 15 years.

George Chambers – Cambridge Athletic & Harrier Club

Margaret Fisher – Cambridge Athletic & Harrier Club

Paul Signal – Cambridge Athletic & Harrier Club

Nellie Engels – Putaruru Athletic Club