BETTY Boyd's active involvement in communities over the last 30 years was recognised with the Port Macquarie Senior Citizen of the Year award earlier this week.
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Mrs Boyd has selflessly given her time to many community activities including Brownies and Girl Guides, most notably as district leader at Kendall.
She felt the award was an exercise in revealing who the people are that make a community "such a great place to live".
"An award like this is to do with the people the movers and shakers that make things happen in a community," she said.
"It was embarrassing to start off with because I move around amongst so many activities and I know the work that goes on everywhere. I didn't know how they could determine who would be superior to any other. I've been at it longer and I think that was why I got it.
"I had a look at the other 16 nominations on the website and when I read who was there I knew most of the people because I'd been involved with what they do. You think 'who on earth is going to have to judge these people?'."
She said once the honour had begun to sunk in she felt she was starting to appreciate it more.
"Australia Day was wonderful," she said. "Sunday night was a bit puzzling but the day after was lovely because I received so much approval. Everybody, everywhere were saying 'Betty, you get it because you deserve it'."
"Normally if you put yourself forward publically you're going to come in for a lot of criticism because you can't do everything right, but it was very, very good to get so much approval in the one direction.
"To be part of this group is the greatest honour."
