SENIOR citizens from around Nelson Mandela Bay were recently honoured at the annual Senior Citizen of the Year (SCOTY) awards to celebrate their contributions towards the community.
A total of nine nominees were selected by members of the public for exemplary work in and around the community.
SCOTY, which celebrated their seventh year, encourage and reward senior citizens in the Bay who are living exemplary lives.
Michelle Brown, from Brown’s PR, said the awards aimed at inspiring the senior citizens to stay active.
“This event is very close to our hearts and we always try to promote a healthy and active lifestyle. These senior citizens have done great work in and around the community and they deserve to be honoured for that,” Brown said.
The awards are run by the Golden Oldies fund raising club, with winners announced in three age categories from ages 70-79 years, 80- 89 years, 90-99, as well as special mentions in the over-100 age group.
The overall winner for the 70-79 age category was Isaac Adams (71), who is passionate about his community. He was not only the founding member of the Gelvandale CPF, but also went on early retirement to become a ward councillor to serve the community in the area.
Sheila Yvonne Marriott (83) was the overall winner for the 80-89 category.
Marriott is involved in the 67 Blanket Project, where they hold three, and are awaiting a fourth, the Guinness World Record, for making the largest crochet blanket and scarf in the world.
The overall winner for the 90-99 age category was Elizabeth Thompson (92), who volunteers at a bookshop and is also a member of the St Saviours Church.
Thompson still drives herself around and is thankful for good health and sound memory.
Two special awards were also given to Jan Steenberg (114) and Ettie Blumberg (100) for nominees over the age of 100.
