Marianne Drummond is one of the 2020 Citizens Award recipients.
Marianne Drummond says Stratford is lucky to have so many volunteers who help the community.
Marianne is one of them, and her efforts have led to her being one of the Stratford District Council Citizens Awards recipients this year.
From her time on local sports clubs and involvement with schools, Marianne says helping her community is something she enjoys.
"I do like volunteer work. There is a lot of great people to appreciate.
"I'm a firm believer there is no 'I' in team. I've worked with many great presidents making it easy to be part of their groups and organisations."
Marianne's parents came to Stratford from Switzerland in 1965.
"My husband Adrian and I own a farm on Salisbury Rd that we bought off my parents."
She attended Midhirst Primary School and then St Mary's Diocesan (now Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls). She worked for the TSB bank for 18 years.
Marianne is the current secretary treasurer of the Midhirst Tennis Club, a role she has held for 33 years. She has also been secretary of the Midhirst Combined Sports Club for 12 years.
"I really like it. There is a lot of comraderie and it's a good bunch of people."
She has been organising the night tennis for the past 18 years.
"It gets people out there and it's a nice social activity. I enjoy playing tennis."
As well as playing tennis, Marianne enjoys squash and is a life member of the Stratford Squash Club.
"I have been the administrator for the Cockies Farmers Annual Squash Tournament for 15 years. It's a real pleasure to do that."
Marianne is a member of the Taranaki Swiss Club.
"I've played the accordion since I was 11 years old."
She has spent 26 years as treasurer and 10 years as the secretary and is currently in those roles.
"I was president of the New Zealand Swiss Society for a five year term 18 years ago. The society is an umbrella group for the Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Taranaki clubs. During the term we create a magazine for the society every couple of months.
"We have just taken it on again. It has now changed to a four year term and this time I am the treasurer. It is an honour to have this role."
Marianne says she has been involved with local schools for 20 years, spending 9 years on the Midhirst Primary School PTA team, a period of time on the board of proprietors for St Marys (as it was known then) and a current member of the Stratford High School PTA.
She was on Midhirst School PTA while her sons Richard and Daniel were at the school. Although they now both attend Stratford High School, she still enjoys doing parent help at Midhirst Primary School where they have a great bunch of teachers.
"Stratford High School also has a great team of teachers. When I was a member of the Midhirst School PTA, I would stand in the street and sell raffle tickets, it was good. I met a lot of great people."
She spent 10 years as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels.
"I really enjoyed it. It felt like I was making a difference."
She says the support of her family makes what she does easier.
"Without the support of my husband Adrian and sons Daniel and Richard I wouldn't be able to do what I'm doing.
When she heard she was the recipient of the award, she said she was honoured.
"I initially thought, this is really nice and there are so many deserving people in the Stratford area. We're just lucky to have so many volunteers. Volunteer work can give so much pleasure."
Stratford Press prints last issue as NZME closes 14 community papers nationwide.