Longtime Nelson resident and public servant Dean Coe last Sunday received the Norman Odell Citizen of the Year award for 2014, given by the town of Nelson and the Erieville Nelson Heritage Society.

“I’m very honored to receive this award,” Coe said during the award ceremony on Nov. 2, at which more than 50 people showed up to wish him congratulations. “Thanks to all the groups who improve our community; I think that is something very special.”

The Norman Odell Citizen of the Year Award, founded in 1996, is given annually to a Nelson resident who has made outstanding contributions to the town through his or her volunteer work. The Erieville Nelson Heritage Society solicits nominations for the award every year, a three-member board selects the winner and the society and town of Nelson sponsor the event and award.

The recipient receives an award plaque, and their name is added to the recognition plaque that hangs in town hall.

Coe was the 2014 recipient of the award based on his more than 40 years of work serving the town of Nelson in municipal government positions and through various volunteer efforts.

He served for 20 years on the Nelson Town Planning Board and 20 years on the Nelson Town Board. He and his wife Pat were charter members of CAVAC; recently he erected the playground at the Nelson park ball field almost on his own; he plants and takes care of the flowers under the town of Nelson signs; he donates his time as an auctioneer to such groups as Young Life; he was a Ruritan member; he served in the National Guard; he chauffeurs people to appointments; he is not afraid to cut out patterns for the church’s “sew our people” for Haiti; or dress up like a skunk for the Skunk Hollow celebration.

“He is a person willing to serve in any capacity,” said Christabell Westcott, president of the Erieville Nelson Heritage Society and herself a former Norman Odell Citizen of the Year award winner.

After reading Coe’s list of achievements that qualified him for the award, Westcott asked if anyone in the audience wanted to speak about the honoree — and the testimonials to Coe’s altruism and hard work started coming out.

“My father has always given to everyone he has come across; he doesn’t ask for anything in return … and I’m very proud of him,” said Coe’s daughter, Linda Siracuse.

Former Nelson Town Supervisor Richard Williams said, “Dean is a solid guy; he was always there, always willing to volunteer for some of the not-so-fun jobs.”

Current Nelson Town Councilor Mike Costello said Coe “always lets you know what’s on his mind,” and that he is “a hard guy to beat” — whether it was at election time, at cards or at fishing.

Addition to the Odell award, Coe also was presented by Town Councilor Jen Marti with a citation from State Assemblyman Bill Magee — a former Nelson town supervisor who also worked with Coe in town government — citing Coe’s accomplishments and calling him “worthy of the esteem of his community and his state.”

Coe was given a standing ovation and loud applause from the people in attendance.

Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].