The downstairs dining area of Barrett Hall was filled to capacity on Monday evening to honor John Hawkins as the Strafford Area Lions Club's 2025 Citizen of the Year.  Being chosen for this honor came as a surprise to Hawkins, who while a key player in getting things done, to prefers to keep a low profile and uses his wry wit and a self-deprecating manner to deflect attention from himself. His first reaction was typical.  " I think they picked me because they could not give this to Joey ( his wife ) twice."

Yet, as speakers including: Kevin Plunkett, John Stableford, Peter Orgain and Jim Schley attested Hawkins has always been steady, focused, willing to take on difficult tasks and a joy to work with. His work has included serving on the Selectboard, Trustee of Public Funds and in many capacities in the United Church of Strafford.  His granddaughter Julia Boger- Hawkins says although his kids and grandchildren like to make fun of him, he is "the stage crew for the real world" and has helped her out in many ways with her community food work projects. Jessica Tidman recalls how back in the late 1970's as good childhood friends Hawkin's daughter Catlin; she always came away after visiting impressed by the love in this family with four kids living in a garage/ workshop while John Hawkins was busy building their home.

Hawkins himself in his acceptance speech said " I can't imagine a better place to live than Strafford and the reason is community, the acceptance that it requires lots of work, and all the people willing to do that work. A sense of community doesn't just happen , you need to work at it, and if you lose it, it can be very hard to get back".

Hawkins  spoke about how he has been heartened by the number of young people, many of them graduates of Newton School,  moving to town or back into town who are participating in and reviving many aspects of community that were important to them growing up. This he says " is nothing short or wonderful".  That John Hawkins, who has in service to others and the community has long flown under the radar, has been honored as "Citizen of the Year" is also nothing short of wonderful.