After receiving more than 170,000 votes, Essential Energy has announced the 2023 Community Choice champions.
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Within each zone, four community groups with the highest number of votes, have received grants to help them in their projects.
The Bega Valley zone winners included Narooma CWA, the Special Olympics Australia South Coast, the Bega Valley Genealogy Society Inc and Sapphire Community Projects Inc.
The community group with the highest number of votes in the Bega Valley was Narooma CWA, which won first place in the zone and received a grant of $5000.
Narooma CWA honorary secretary, Sally Janes, said the branch was very pleased with the results which helped show how valued their work in community was.
"I think it really validates what we do and what we're here for," she said.
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Ms Janes said the money would go towards their projects, along with finishing up some upgrades to the rooms in their CWA office which were being renovated.
"We've got some front rooms that need painting and new flooring, so we're hoping to get that done," she said.
"The funding means we can add it to the money we've raised and put it towards our projects that we want to do for the community."
The second most voted community group in the Bega Valley Shire was Special Olympics Australia, South Coast, which received a grant of $3500.
Special Olympics South Coast chair person, Kathy Godwin, said there was a lot of excitement among the team, as the funds were "much needed".
"Special Olympics is a volunteer run organisation which provides sport for people with intellectual disabilities, and our athletes train regularly each week in various sports," she said.
These sports included 10 pin bowling, swimming and basketball.
Ms Godwin said the funding would help them greatly in shouldering the costs associated to the sports, especially with the expenses of travel.
"There's a lot of costs involved with travelling to the events and we really try to keep the overall costs for our athletes low, so a lot of the funds will go towards that," she said.
Ms Godwin said the volunteers and members felt grateful and proud to have received so many votes from their local community.
"We feel immense pride and acknowledgement that people see what we do in our community and value it," she said.
The Bega Valley Genealogy Society Inc ranked third and received $2750.
Meanwhile the Sapphire Community Projects Inc, received the small community grant valued at $1250.
Amandine Ahrens
Twice weekly
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