A gay community board member has been singled out for praise by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her visit to Christchurch.
Sam Johnson, 21, was elected onto the Riccarton-Wigram Community Board at the local body election.
Clinton today shook Johnson's hand and spoke highly of his work organising a "student army" on Facebook to clean up the city's streets after the devastating quake. She spoke privately to Johnson, encouraging him to keep up the good work using the technology at his fingertips.
The conversation came during a gathering of around 500 people, mainly civil defence and council staff or emergency workers, who were invited to listen to Clinton at the Christchurch Town Hall this afternoon.
She leaves New Zealand, bound for Melbourne, tomorrow.
