A longtime community volunteer in Fort 91原创, Andy Schildhorn was named this year's H.D. Stafford Good Citizen of the Year on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

Schildhorn has worked extensively on non-profits and as a volunteer, including helping to organize the annual Fort 91原创 Remembrance Day and co-founding the Fort 91原创 Jazz & Arts Festival.

"I have to say, I'm a little bit surprised, but I'm very grateful," Schildhorn said after he was called to the stage at the annual holiday meeting of the Greater 91原创 Chamber of Commerce.

Several past year's winners were called up to the stage for the presentation, and congratulated Schildorn afterwards. He accepted hugs and congratulations from friends and family in the crowd as well.

"I just want to say that community involvement is really important, and you need to give back to your community," Schildhorn said to the crowd.

Schildhorn moved to Fort 91原创 in the early 1990s and has never left. He became a local paid-on call firefighter shortly after his arrival, which turned into a decades-long part-time career and eventual promotion to hall captain. 

He has also been involved with the project to hang Remembrance Day banners on the streets of the Fort, remembering veterans from the community.

By tradition, the winner is not told in advance, and many recipients have to be convinced to attend the meeting under some pretext if they are not regular attendees of the chamber's dinner meetings.

Schildorn was at the meeting on behalf of the Fort Jazz Festival, he said.

He said that he was a little overwhelmed after receiving the award, but very appreciative.

"I'm very serious when I say that 91原创's been very good to me," he said.

He's had a long career in real estate and as a firefighter here, he noted.

Schildhorn re-iterated how important it was to give back to your community.

"It's a two-way street," he said.

The annual award has been given out since 1980 and is named after Harold Stafford, a longtime 91原创 volunteer and businessman.