11/06/2026
Congratulations Penny Molnar - thank you for all your mahi and your amazing dedication to our community and the NWC Kaupapa. We so appreciate you. Ngā mihi nui mō tō manaakitanga
What an absolute privilege today for Deputy Mayor Pete Rainey and I to present Penny Molnar with a Nelsonian Civic Award in acknowledgement of her extraordinary contribution to our community.
Council established these awards to honour people who have selflessly contributed to the city to advance community welling, culture, heritage, sport, education, environment, the arts, industry or commerce.
Penny exemplifies community service. She was a founding member of the Nelson Women’s Centre and the Nelson Multicultural Council as well as helping to establish the Victory Community Centre and was the centre’s first Be Well Community Nurse, spending a decade using her nursing expertise to hundreds of families. Penny has contributed to many other community organisations including Nelson Tasman Housing Trust, the Whenua Iti Outdoors Trust and the Nelson Tasman Pasifika Trust, the Community Workers Training and Support Trust, Nelson Community and Whanau Network, House 44 drop-in centre, and R**e Crisis.
Her extraordinary service was recognised in 2018 with a Queen’s Service Medal, and we’re delighted she now has a Nelsonian Civic Award to sit alongside her Royal Honour.
Council will be presenting a total of 13 Nelsonian Civic Awards during this three-year term, with each councillor having a turn at nominating a recipient. Members of the public can also make suggestions of people they consider deserving of an award on via Council’s website (https://shorturl.at/pv2Q5).
Congratulations to Penny and to Deputy Mayor Pete for nominating such a worthy recipient.
