LOWVILLE — After following the horses in the firefighter’s parade to ensure the route was kept clean, Douglas P. Hanno had an inkling as to why his presence was needed at center stage during the Lewis County Fair last week.
Once on stage, Lowville Trustee Daniel L. Salmon introduced Joshua M. Fitzgerald, the inaugural village Citizen of the Year, to present this year’s honor to Mr. Hanno.
The honoree said he “sort of had an idea” about the award but had forgotten about it until he was called to the fair office and summoned to the grandstand stage.
Mr. Fitzgerald joked that as with movies, the sequel is usually not as good as the first run, but in this case the committee “nailed it on the head.”
“Doug is everything Lewis County Fair and village of Lowville,” he said.
After the presentation, Mr. Fitzgerald expressed appreciation for the newly established award.
“Lowville is full of Citizens of the Year,” he said. “The main reason Lowville is so great is its people and Doug is the cream of the crop.”
Mr. Hanno agreed: “It’s a nice program the village initiated.”
The nomination submitted by Marsha Terillion noted Mr. Hanno’s numerous volunteer activities including 30 years on the Lewis County Fair board and in the Lowville Fire Department.
He has also served on the festival committee for St. Peter’s Church for 25 years. He is past chair of the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and Cornell Cooperative Extension Board of Directors and past member of Head Start Hand in Hand Childhood Center.
“Doug has devoted the last 30 years of his life to our community and certainly deserves to be Citizen of the Year 2022,” Ms. Terrillion wrote in her nomination. “Doug is known as the ‘Father of the Free Fair.’ This idea resulted in increased Lewis County Fair attendance.”
Mr. Salmon explained that the Lowville Academy and Central School made the final decision from five nominations.
Mr. Hanno received a $50 gift card to a local restaurant and a plaque. In addition, his name will be added to a plaque that hangs in the village office.
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