Service Awards
Raeleen Hancock and Sonia O'Connell
Raeleen Hancock
13+ years involvement with Stratford Flyers Swimming Club
Raeleen started out (over 13 years ago) as a parent helper with club nights and local events. She then took on the role of the Flyers Learn to Swim Administration for more than 5 years. Raeleen has been the face of the Stratford Flyers Club for years and is one of the amazing veteran parents. She has assisted with countless camps, carnivals, trips (school & club) and meets. Raeleen has travelled the country with swimmers helping with marshaling, timekeeping and organizing. She was also involved with the Sacred Heart Girls Collage Team as Trip Manager for recent NZ Secondary Schools Competition.
At Swimming Taranaki, in both interclub and regional meets, her positions have included Announcer, Chief Timekeeper, Assistant Recorder, Timekeeping and Marshaling.
Sonia O’Connell
12+ years with Aquabladz Swimming Club
Sonia was a Pool Society Delegate in 2012, and 2013 and has been a recorder for Aquabladz since 2013. Many will know Sonia's name from emails and psych sheets but is invaluable to not only Aquabladz but to the entire Taranaki Swimming Community. Recorders, coaches, board members and administrators around the region defer to her to for advice. She regularly gives up her free time after finishing her day job to assist at meets and goes the extra mile to help anyone. Sonia is friendly and approachable and provides cohesion and continuity to swimming in the region. Her dedication to a sport that she no longer has children involved in is truly extraordinary.
