By Catherine O’Hara, REVIEW STAFF

Sitting in her country kitchen, long-time Flamborough resident Nancy Mills unassumingly speaks of the many hats she wears around town. The president of the Strabane Women’s Institute, Mills is also a volunteer at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, a representative on the City of Hamilton’s Agriculture and Rural Affairs Advisory Committee and a leader with the Hamilton-Wentworth 4-H Club. She’s a tireless volunteer whose work in the community hasn’t gone unnoticed.

A champion for the rural community, Mills is being recognized with the 2011 Hamilton-Wentworth Rural Citizen of the Year – Joe Fletcher Memorial Award at a special ceremony on Saturday (January 28).

“To be recognized by your peers, that’s better than icing on the cake,” said Mills from her 8^th Concession West farm last week. “It just blew me away. I was totally surprised.”

Nominated for the award by the Rockton Agricultural Society, Mills’s involvement with the local fair and its association has spanned more than three decades. Over the course of the years, she’s sat on the RAS board, chaired different committees and more recently, headed up the fairgrounds’ kitchen renovation.

“It was a real growing experience for me,” said Mills. “I’ve never been able to spend over $100,000 of somebody else’s money – and be accountable for it.”

Mills spent countless hours liaising with the renovation project committee and the contractor. Her position required her to be onsite daily, communicating with the construction crew to ensure everything was progressing as planned and on budget.

“And we did. We stayed within budget,” she said.

Mills is also very involved with the Strabane WI. Recently, she was called upon to fill the role of president – again. This allows Mills to focus on the health and safety of the Flamborough community, responsibilities she takes to heart.

Historically, the Women’s Institute has effected many changes across the province and beyond. The group of like-minded women called on the government to implement wrapping on loaves of bread, mandate the pasteurization of milk and the install stop arms on school buses.

“That was all mandated through the Women’s Institute,” said Mills, adding, “They worked behind the scenes a lot.”

In Flamborough, the local branch of the WI has been hard at work planning a Valentine’s luncheon. “Take your sweetheart to lunch,” an enthusiastic Mills said of the February 11 event at Strabane United Church.

While coordinating and promoting local WI events in the community, Mills also takes time to mentor youth.

A 4-H club leader, Mills brings her many skills and talents to a group of keen youngsters who are eager to learn first-hand how to create savoury dishes, trendy crafts and more.

“We just started a new club,” said Mills of the recently established ragtime quilting group for 4-H members. “It’s so much fun.”

As a member of the Wentworth District Women’s Institute, Mills has been called upon to represent the group on various committees, including the City of Hamilton’s 2003 agricultural economic impact and development study. Her expansive knowledge of the rural community and its issues has also landed Mills on the Agriculture and Rural Affairs advisory committee, where she provided an agricultural perspective to issues up for discussion by members of Hamilton’s city council.

Mills says she enjoys being active in the community and participating in various activities and sitting on different committees. “I like it because it’s interesting to see how the city works and how city workers bring issues forward as they create bylaws,” she noted.

At home on the farm, she and her husband, Ken, tend to the land and manage cattle. They also run cash crop operations at four Flamborough properties.

Asked if she could imagine herself not being involved in the community, Mills was quick to reply, “No, it just wouldn’t be fulfilling.”

“It’s more than community service for Nancy,” said Heather Dillon, a member of the RAS Board of Directors, in her nomination letter. “It’s a part of her life, a way of life, which makes our community a better place for all she does.”

Pleased to see his wife of nearly 36 years recognized for her ongoing volunteerism, Ken wasn’t surprised to hear that Mills was the 2011 Hamilton-Wentworth Rural Citizen of the Year – Joe Fletcher Memorial Award recipient. “She deserves it,” he said.

Mills will be presented with the award at a special event at the Ancaster Agricultural Society’s Marritt Hall, 630 Trinity Rd., on Saturday (January 28) starting at 6:15 p.m.