Surprised Patterson named Floyd's top citizen

A hard worker from the start is how many describe the 2014 Floyd Lions Club’s Citizen of the Year Fred Patterson.

During the intermission of the Floyd Jamboree on Saturday, club President Paul Benoit presented the award to a shocked Patterson.

link LILLIAN BOWE: Portales News-Tribune

Fred Patterson, left, receives the Floyd Lions Club’s 2014 Citizen of the Year award from Paul Benoit, president of the club. Patterson is the Floyd Jamboree director and has been a part of the Lions Club since 1997.

“I never thought I would get this award,” Patterson said. “I am not really part of the Floyd community, but they have really accepted me as one of their own.”

Patterson lives southwest of Portales and joined the Floyd Lions Club in 1997 because he could not make the Portales club meetings.

Patterson has since been an active member and works in every event the club throws, especially the jamboree.

“Fred is very deserving of this award,” said Dave Nash, jamboree emcee.

Patterson is program director of the jamboree, which has him setting up auditions and coordinating the program.

“Setting up the jamboree is a lot of work and many hours and Mr. Patterson does an amazing job,” Benoit said.

Benoit said the citizen of the year is chosen from a committee by looking at the past year and what the citizen has accomplished the most for the community.

“Mr. Patterson has done a lot of work for the jamboree and so many other events and is very deserving,” Benoit said.

Patterson grew up in Northeastern New Mexico and Kansas working on farms and ranches. He graduated with a bachelor of science from Eastern New Mexico University in 1965 with double major in history and political science.

Patterson worked as an educator in Colorado for many years. He received many awards for his work in Colorado and is now retired. Patterson has been married to his wife, Laveta, for 47 years.

“I am just so honored to receive this award. It means a lot,” Patterson said.