MEXICO — A local couple was presented with the town’s 2011 Citizen of the Year award at the annual appreciation dinner Thursday night.
Reggie and Louise Arsenault have served on multiple town committees and boards, including the Recreation Committee, the Med-Care ambulance board, the solid waste board and the Planning Board. Reggie Arsenault also serves as selectman.
The couple are active in the Boy Scouts and have provided food and gifts to families in need during the holidays.
Susan Byam, director for the Greater Rumford Area Ministers Pantry Service, nominated the couple. In a letter to the town, she remembered Louise Arsenault’s efforts in organizing a Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday for a woman who was caring for three children after a house fire.
“Louise recruited help from her friends at work and they both worked very hard to get clothes and toys for these young children,” Byam said. “They even arranged a Christmas Eve visit from the big guy with the white beard and red suit. It was undoubtedly the best Christmas these children have ever had.”
Earle Murray, 97, was presented with the Boston Post gold-headed cane as the oldest resident of Mexico. Murray was born Dec. 4, 1913, and has lived on Richardson Avenue all his life.
He owned and operated Murray’s Cove camping area on Worthley Pond in Peru for more than 60 years.
He attributed his longevity to a bowl of oatmeal every morning, a pot of tea with supper, an apple a day, no smoking and being active from sunup to sundown.
Instead of choosing one Part-Time Employee of the Year, selectmen decided to present the entire Mexico Volunteer Fire Department with the award.
“They really are one of the best call-force fire departments around,” Town Manager John Madigan said. “It was hard to recognize just one, so the selectmen decided to include all 25 members.”
The award for Full-Time Employee of the Year went to John Blais, a foreman for the Public Works Department. Madigan said Blais had pulled the crew together to work hard on projects this year.
Volunteer of the Year was Richie Jones of the Mexico Fire Department. Jones was noted for going above and beyond as a member of the department.
“He even takes a full week’s vacation just to teach fire prevention at the schools,” town secretary Sheryl Briggs said.
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- The town of Mexico presented Reggie and Louise Arsenault with the Citizen of the Year award at the annual appreciation dinner Thursday night. They were honored for working hard throughout the years to serve the town and the less fortunate in the community.
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- Earle Murray, 97, was presented with the Boston Post gold-headed cane Thursday night as the oldest resident of Mexico. The honor was given during the annual appreciation dinner held by the town.
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