MEXICO – Lifelong resident William “Bill” Petrie was twice stunned Tuesday night at Mexico’s annual Night of Appreciation banquet and award ceremony.

Petrie, 68, first won a 30-piece wrench set donated by Advanced Auto during raffle prize drawings, then drew a standing ovation from more than 160 people when he was named Mexico’s citizen of the year.

“It was a big surprise. I didn’t have a clue I would get it,” he said after the event. “I just try to do what I can to help people. If somebody calls me, if I can help, I will.”

Toward the end of the nearly three-hour event in the Mexico Recreation Center, selectmen’s Chairman Barbara Laramee read two letters the board had received nominating Petrie for the honor.

The first writer stated that Petrie delivers food for the local food pantry every Wednesday, works with the Lions Club assisting with eye care, helps repair wheelchairs for the disabled, helps display flags for veterans at graveyards and helps with the Mexico greens’ veterans’ stones project by cleaning and placing stones at the greens.

“He has helped a lot of people in crisis and never expects any reward,” Laramee read from the unsigned letter.

Reading from Petrie’s plaque, Laramee said, “Dedicated to a citizen who has created a positive effect in the community and whose accomplishment in the town of Mexico has touched the lives of many.”

Besides recognizing several municipal employees, volunteers and community organizations, Town Manager John Madigan and selectmen presented 2007 awards for volunteer of the year to Darrold Comstock; full-time employee of the year to Phil Libby of the Mexico Public Works Department; and part-time/reserve employee of the year to police officer Bernadette Dickinson.

Madigan presented the Town Manager’s Award to Andy Gestaut of public works and town bookkeeper Janna Schuster. The award, Madigan said, is given to employees who excel and do something unique.

Regarding Gestaut, who was absent, he said, “On Monday, Feb. 12, his dad passed away. Then, on Wednesday, we got hit by the Valentine’s Day snowstorm and he came out and plowed snow for 14 hours so we wouldn’t be stranded on the day of the biggest snowstorm here in 14 years.”

Following a round of applause, Madigan presented the second Town Manager’s Award to Schuster, whose dad also died on Feb. 22, and said she came in the next day and readied several important town documents.

“Both of them went way above the call of duty and deserve special recognition,” Madigan said.

Madigan then called 9-year-old Tyler Richard and Thomas Harrison, both of Mexico, up. He read a story by the Sun Journal detailing a June 19 incident in which Richard accidentally shot himself in the chest with his grandfather’s gun, ran out to the road and flagged down Harrison, who was on his way to work.

The boy climbed into the truck and Harrison took him to Rumford Hospital.

The crowd gave Harrison a standing ovation and police Chief Jim Theriault presented Harrison with a special humanitarian award honoring him for heroism, then patted Richard on the head and gave him a town of Mexico T-shirt.

Madigan was also surprised with a regional leadership award from area town managers, recognizing him for his “outstanding leadership and dedication” to the citizens of Mexico.

“The bottom line is I just enjoy it. I really do,” Madigan said. “It’s so nice when you’re appreciated.”