The Spencer Exchange Club presented its Citizen of the Year Award on May 10, 2011 to Nancy Andrews of Spencer. The event was held at Salem Cross in West Brookfield.
This is the 8th year that the Spencer Exchange Club has given out the Citizen of the Year Award to a worthy group or individual who volunteers their time and efforts to our community. Past recipients of this award include: Dick Fiske, area Toys for Tots volunteers, volunteers from Mary, Queen of the Rosary Food Pantry, Harriet Gobi, Donna Flannery, Stein Berthiaume, and Carol and Bob McPherson.
We had many nominees this year and one stood out above the rest.
The Exchange Club presented Mrs. Andrews with a plaque and Sen. Steve Brewer and Rep. Anne Gobi, both members of the Spencer Exchange Club, were on hand to present citations from the Statehouse and House of Representatives.
Nancy Andrews has greatly improved the lives of children for most of her life. She has been actively involved in the Worcester County 4-H both on the local and state levels for 59 years. Nancy was a Club leader where she helped with cooking, craft and sewing clubs and the Happy Hay Shakers Dairy Club. She sat on the 4-H Advisory Council, including 20 years as its president and treasurer.
Nancy was the former chairman of the Worcester County 4-H Fair since the 1970’s and also served as co-chairman for the 4-H auction which was one of the largest fundraisers for the Worcester County 4-H program.
Nancy also volunteered her time as Spencer’s recreation director arranging programs and designing trips for school age children to senior citizens. Nancy’s dedication to this program resulted in many programs for Spencer youths. Nancy and her family have been a part of the Spencer Fair for decades. She was the first woman president of the Spencer Agricultural Association and continues on the Fair Committee today. The Spencer Fair has a very special place in her heart because that is where she met her husband, Sonny, when they were both showing cows. Her family’s involvement spans five generations.
They opened up Andrews Farm to many kindergarten outings so that area children could experience how life is lived on a farm.
Nancy and Sonny were married for over 50 years until his passing in 2006 and they raised six daughters. Their children and grandchildren are active in their communities, the 4-H Program and or the Spencer Fair keeping the tradition of giving back to the community alive.
This is the 4-H pledge for those of you who are not familiar with it…
“I pledge my head to clearer thinking… my heart to greater loyalty… my hands to larger service… and my health to better living… for my club, my community, my country and my world.”
Mrs. Andrews leads by example and we are grateful to have her in our community.