Waikato regional awards for Dive Zone
By Stephen Holmes.
Dive Zone Whitianga has made it into the finals for The Waikato Chamber Of Commerce Business Awards 2023 in not only one but two categories!
Darryl and Linda Bird, owners of Dive Zone, are finalists in both the Sustainability category and in the Community Contribution category. Dive Zone is the only business in the Coromandel to make it to the finals.
The Waikato Business Awards are a celebration of outstanding businesses in the Waikato region, highlighting contributions to the local economy and community. The winners will be announced at a prestigious Gala Dinner event on Friday, 17 November at Claudelands in Hamilton.
Dive Zone has earned a reputation for working hard to protect our oceans and educate all its divers to do the same. Their aim is to keep New Zealand Diving among the best in the world. Mercury Bay offers some of the best diving in New Zealand. and Dive Zone is committed to showing every diver they teach how to dive and experienced divers their backyard which is the Coromandel coastline.
It has been a good process to go through,” says Linda, “It identifies things in your business that may have not stood out to you. Part of the process involved an interview of several hours. We feel pretty stoked about it as it’s encouraging to know that you are doing things for your community that are worthwhile. It has been a bad year for our business but we have kept on. Dive Zone operation is very weather dependent and we have had to be very resourceful to get through the last summer and its year- long consequences and before that, Covid.”
For many of the International young adult students, Dive Zone is like a second home. They are full participants in the different courses offered through Dive Zone and make many friends within this training and sporting community.
As finalists for the Waikato Business Awards, Dive Zone is also in the running for the People's Choice Award and would love it if our community right across the Coromandel Peninsula would vote for Dive Zone under the Community Contribution category. They would like people to show their support by voting using the QR code. The final decision for People’s choice is announced on Friday, 17 November so people need to vote before then.
Thinking about the Claudelands gala Dinner, Linda says, “It is a black tie event which is quite hysterical as Darryl might have to wear something on his feet.”
So, please vote for these local heroes Linda and Darryl Bird of Dive Zone.
Call in to their extensive retail shop 10 Campbell Street, Whitianga. it stocks all the equipment required to meet your Scuba, snorkel, and freediving and kids diving needs.
To vote either scan the code see below or visit Dive Zone website: divezonewhitianga.co.nz or click the link - VOTE HERE https://wba.awardsplatform.com/entry/vote/LoDYenAz.
Caption: Dive Zone boat.