One of the highlights of the Waitakere Calendar is fast approaching – the Don Oliver Youth Sport Foundation Dinner, scheduled this year for 11 August, with celebrity MC Greg Ward and guest speaker the legendary Michael Jones, first try scorer ever in a Rugby World Cup and giant of our national game.

The Don Oliver Dinner is when the Foundation announces its scholarships for the year in a glittering event that offers a fantastic experience – the opportunity to support and applaud the young Westies aged 14 – 21 who have what it takes to reach the very top of their sport.

It’s in a great setting at The Trusts Stadium, with great food and great entertainment.

The Don Oliver Youth Sport Foundation was created 15 years ago to honour the late Olympian weightlifter and icon of the west.

“The Don Oliver” provides scholarship to the cream of West Auckland’s young sporting talent: pre-elite athletes in any sport, aged between 14 and 21, who have the ability and the attitude to step up to national and international honours.

The Don Oliver convenes a panel of independent judges to select each year’s scholars, with the panel currently under the chairmanship of Simon Wickham, deputy chair of the New Zealand Olympic Games Association.  Past panels have included top coaches and past Olympians who have established an enviable record in “picking future winners” (and in sticking with them when times have been tough).

As a result “the Don Oliver” has arguably been the most successful foundation of its type in New Zealand and West Auckland has been perhaps over-represented in the New Zealand sporting honours board.

There hasn’t been a single Olympics of Commonwealth Games since “the Don Oliver” was created, when there hasn’t been at least one past scholar in the New Zealand team.  Very often they’re among the medallists.  The current swimming team to the World Championships in Beijing includes past scholars Lauren Boyle and Melissa Ingram. There have been world champions, national champions, a plethora of age group champions, and members of FIFA age group world cup, football sides, badminton, hockey and netball players, cyclists, stars of track and field, and many more.

Last year was a record year with 16 scholarships awarded covering cycling, BMX, athletics, pool and open water swimming, bowls, extreme trampoline, sport aerobics, motocross, rowing, badminton, hockey and netball.

The Foundation enjoys very solid support from a family of sponsors such as the Westy Trust and Douglas, Charitable Trust and a wide range of every day folk who buy tickets to the dinner and bid on the auction items that go up for sale as part of the night’s festivities.  This year the family of supporters has been joined by of The Trusts Charitable foundation on the recommendation the Waitakere Licensing Trust.

14th Don Oliver Youth Sport Foundation Awards and Fundraising Gala Dinner 2011

Tables of 10: $1,305 (10% discount) 

Includes:

• Sumptuous Buffet
• Live Entertainment
• Live and Silent Auction