Hard-working couple are Huntly's top citizens for 2022
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
THIS year's Citizen of the Year award is a little bit different, going to a very special Huntly couple – Pat and Sandy Scott.
The Rotary Club of Huntly awarded the duo on Sunday, December 11, for their huge contributions to the town. As Huntly Express readers will know, Pat retired from reporting earlier this year, having spent 44 years writing about the area's news and also working tirelessly to support the community.
For more than 20 years she was secretary of Strathbogie Community Council.
A Rotarian until 2018, for many years she shared responsibility for the Christmas Festival event, often turned out for several nights of the Santa run and sold balloon race tickets on the corner of The Square.
She became involved early on in Hairst and now chairs the small organising group who work alongside the organiser to ensure the success of the annual event.
Pat is also part of the Floral Fund group and over the summer does dead head tubs. Until recently, she also looked after two flower tubs at Drumblade war memorial.
Way back when Rotary were developing the Glamourhaugh allotments, Sandy's farming skills were called upon to deal with dockens.
Supporting Pat in Rotary, Sandy would regularly drive the vehicle pulling Santa’s sleigh or indeed plod round knocking on doors.
He was a member of the original Huntly Development Trust steering group for Greenmyres when the farm first became a community asset and was chairman of The Gordon Schools School Board.
One of the first on the organising group for Hairst when it started in 2007, he’s now in the team which puts out the road closure signs – long before most people are on the go.
Sandy is one of the eight volunteers in the Floral Fund Group and his key job is the transportation of the tubs from storage into The Square at the start of the season and moving them out again in the autumn. He’s in charge of the watering squad to keep the plants in bloom.
Commenting on the honour of the title, Pat said: "Sandy and I are delighted and humbled to have received the award. Sunday was really special. We were thrilled to have our close family with us.
"We got involved with the groups we are or have been part of because they interested us and were important to us and in Sandy's case he had the skills or equipment to help out."
She added that part of the appeal of helping is the difference it makes.
"It's really gratifying if you are dead heading tubs in The Square and someone comes in about and says how bonny they are or what a difference they make," said Pat.
"For me, the buzz around the town for Hairst makes all that effort so worthwhile.
"I know that in my years in at Huntly Express, as well as doing the job, I was able to offer help and support to groups and individuals, sometimes in a mentoring role to help them through challenging times but I really enjoyed helping them."
