Club Taree has taken out the Emergency Response category at the 2026 Clubs & Community Awards, earning state-wide recognition for its efforts supporting the community during the devastating May 2025 floods.
The award was presented at the annual Clubs & Community Awards Night at ICC Sydney on Thursday, where more than 900 guests gathered to celebrate the contributions of registered clubs across NSW. Fellow Manning region organisation Taree Aquatic Club was also recognised, receiving a highly commended award in the same category.
The win acknowledges Club Taree’s role as an authorised evacuation centre during what was described as a one-in-500-year flood event, providing shelter, support and reassurance to hundreds of displaced residents.
Club Taree chief executive Paul Allen said the award reflected the extraordinary efforts of staff and volunteers who worked around the clock during the crisis.
“It was our honour to play the role as the authorised evacuation centre.” he said.
“Over that time, we welcomed hundreds of people through the club doors, and it was our role to keep them safe, keep them secure, offer them a sense of compassion, and a place of familiarity and a safe place to be.”
Allen said the commitment shown by club staff went far beyond normal operations.
“This award is a testament to my team for the efforts they put through in that time. Sleeping on site for 24 hours a day just to take care of those hundreds of people that were on site.”
“We were out evacuating nursing homes, we were out picking up people on the side of the roads. But on the flip side of that, at the end, we were also taking people back to their homes for the first time, and we were there firsthand to witness the devastation that those floods had had in effect to their home.”
“We’re often the only person there to give them a hug or give them some reassurance or point them in the right direction, and to us, it’s always the greatest honour to be at the evacuation centre. It’s also the greatest honour to be there in those most difficult moments for members of our community.”
ClubsNSW chief executive Rebecca Riant said the awards recognised the vital role clubs play in supporting communities through both everyday challenges and times of crisis.
“Clubs exist to make their communities better places to live, and that was clearly on show last night through the causes they’ve championed over the past year,” said Riant.
“With an exceptionally strong field of candidates, the judges were faced with an incredibly difficult task, and I couldn’t be prouder of our industry as clubs continue to deliver support that is changing lives and strengthening communities across New South Wales.”
The award places Club Taree among the state’s leading community organisations and highlights the critical role local clubs can play when disaster strikes.
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