THOSE who've dedicated their living days to giving were honoured in Tamworth on Tuesday.
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The New England region's most generous folks piled in to the Tamworth Golf Club as this year's volunteer of the year award winners were announced.
A number of the New England winners came from small corners of the region, but they proved to be big on heart.
Jenny Simpson from the Barraba Pastoral, Agricultural and Horticultural Association was named overall volunteer of the year for her varied work in the community.
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She has coupled her work for the Barraba Show with numerous other support roles, including her work for her local Meals on Wheels and with Oxley Community Transport where she is a volunteer driver helping to take people to medical appointments.
Somerton's Bruce Cooper, aged 90, was named the region's senior volunteer of the year after clocking up more than 70 years of service with the Somerton War Memorial Hall and Recreation Committee and a number of other groups.
Inverell's Lona-May Dennis was selected as this year's young volunteer of the year for her work helping people with cerebral palsy - particularly her unfaltering support for her sister Amber.
Lona-May and Amber were the first participants from the New England region to take part in the Krazy Kosci Klimb.
Tamworth's Inala House won the top gong for best volunteer group.
The nine volunteer team members of Inala House's Transport to Treatment Service helped drive 130 cancer patients over 15,000 kilometres to the North West Cancer Centre over the past year to help them get access to vital medical treatment.
The regional winners will now progress to the state awards later in the year.
Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Gareth Ward said volunteers made an enormous contribution to local communities.
"A vibrant volunteering sector leads to healthy and strong communities," Mr Ward said.
"In NSW, volunteers contribute more than $5 billion to the economy each year and their social contribution is even greater.
ClubsNSW CEO Anthony Ball said volunteers were the backbone of clubs across the state.
"The calibre of our local volunteers never ceases to amaze me, and I'm proud to represent an industry in which around 32,000 volunteers help to make clubs such great places," Mr Ball said.