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Weyburn is a "remarkable community," according to Rev. John Ferrier, recipient of the Golden Spike award from the Weyburn Chamber of Commerce on Friday night.

"I came here in 1979, when the folks at Knox Church needed a minister. One of the first people I met was Ross McMurtry, who had a long good chat with me about how I was going to really enjoy Weyburn, that it was a good town," said Ferrier.

"I like living in Weyburn very much, and I have an enormous number of good friends here," added Ferrier. "It is nice to think that I have been able to make a little bit of contribution to a really great community that has really great people in it."

"The community gives back so much to you, and there are so many people that care, which I discovered recently," said Ferrier, referring to a recent surgery he underwent. "It is a very humbling experience, and it is nice to know that this is the kind of community that we have."

Receiving the Golden Spike was a great honour to Ferrier, and he noted that "chiefly it will give me encouragement to continue being involved in the community any way I can."

Ferrier has contributed to the community as a founding member of the 麻豆传媒AVeast Unit's board for the Canadian Cancer Society; he assisted in the development of the tragic event protocol for Weyburn schools; was a volunteer for the Weyburn Council of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, the Weyburn and District United Way Communithon; and is the chaplain for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police division in southeast Saskatchewan, the Weyburn Firefighters Association and the Weyburn Royal Canadian Legion.

"I think ministers have more of an opportunity to serve the community, and as a minister I have been involved deeply in the lives of people," said Ferrier. He noted that shortly before his retirement as an active minister he baptized the grandchild of a couple that he had married.

"Weyburn is the kind of community it is because there are many people who are at least deserving, if not far more so, of this award than I am," said Ferrier. "They care for one another, they look out for another, and they make sure that this is the kind of community that all of us are proud to live in."

The Golden Spike is awarded annually to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the community through his or her volunteer services during the years preceding the date of the award. A panel of judges awards the Golden Spike to the nominee who scores the highest overall score in longevity, community involvement, professional involvement, leadership and stewardship.