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CANYONVILLE -- They had already given out the award for Woman Citizen of the Year, so Nancy Bigelow was stunned when she heard her name called Saturday night as co-recipient of the honor with Kris Gross.
"You don't know what a shock this is," Bigelow said after accepting a plaque and a congratulatory bouquet of flowers. "There haven't been too many times in my life that I've been at a loss for words."Floyd West, the owner of Pioneer Super Save Market, was named Man Citizen of the Year, while 11-year-old Katelyn Wiggs, a sixth-grader at Canyonville Elementary School, was named Student of the Year.
Sue Shaffer, chairwoman of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, was presented a lifetime achievement award.
More than 100 people attended the banquet, held at the Canyonville Masonic Lodge. The fete was sponsored by the Canyonville Lions Club with students from South Umpqua High School serving the meal.
Both Gross and West were important cogs in last year's renovation of Pioneer Park. A new stage was added, the lawn replanted and several buildings were given facelifts. More than $200,000 was spent on the project, mostly from private donations. A large number of townspeople donated labor for the project.
"This plaque isn't large enough to divide into pieces for all of the people whose work went into making this happen," West said, in accepting his award.West built his grocery store in 1972. He has been involved as a member of the Canyonville Lions Club, the Elks, Eagles and the Masons. He has also served on the Chamber of Commerce and the Pioneer Days Committee.
Gross is the owner of Hometown Insurance. Along with her business, she has been heavily involved in the Canyonville Chamber of Commerce, serving at different times as president, secretary and treasurer. She also helped establish a chamber foundation as a nonprofit organization entitled to accept tax deductible donations.
In her acceptance speech, Gross praised the community for pitching in to make the town better.
"Canyonville just works together. It's a great place," she said.Bigelow serves as a volunteer for many different activities in Canyonville. She assists the Lions Club in its mobile sight and hearing program, headed the Lions Club's Easter egg hunt and serves as the club's tail-twister.
She helped with last fall's weeklong Cycle Oregon that began and ended in Canyonville. She also assists with Canyonville's Christmas basket and holiday toy program.
Steve Sharp, principal at Canyonville Elementary School, described Wiggs as a dedicated student. He said she has spent several years studying ballet, jazz and tap dance and is involved in sports and church activities.
At the end of the banquet, she left to attend a dance.
Shaffer also saluted the community as a wonderful place to live and work. She said the tribe and the city of Canyonville have worked well together to benefit both entities.
Pam Sheperd, principal at Canyonville Christian Academy, and Randy Garrison, a Roseburg resident who last month became a Douglas County circuit judge, served as speakers for the banquet.
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