Sharon Duthart marks 20 years this year as the unfailingly reliable and excellent Administrator of The Pipers' & Pipe Band Society of Ontario. To help recognize and mark Sharon's outstanding contribution to the art of piping and drumming in Ontario the PPBSO Board of Directors awarded her a rare Lifetime Membership, on behalf of all members. Sharon Duthart's recognition was presented at yesterday's Georgetown Highland Games [Sharon is pictured here with her husband, Drew Duthart, sailing Loch Ness, Scotland].
The following is a transcript of PPBSO president, Michael Grey's remarks at the presentation that was held at the opening ceremonies of the games.
"Today I am privileged to honour, on behalf of members of The Pipers’ & Pipe Band Society of Ontario, a person who - for 20 years - has been the bedrock of the PPBSO. Sharon Duthart has been our tireless and passionate Administrator.
It's thanks to her efforts we have a membership management system, that we pay our bills on time, that our database of information is managed, that our Highland games systems of data are accurate - including scoresheet and pipe band tabulations. She is the PPBSO’s front line to our rule book and that means to contest entry and scoresheet distribution … so she has experienced a lot of, er, “stuff” in her time working to support the PPBSO. A lot of highs, I hope - and, yet, I know, some not so much.
I’ve known Sharon Duthart most of my life. I first met her as Sharon Allen, daughter of the world-famous bass-drummer, Luke Allen, of the 78th Fraser Highlanders and, of course now the wife of world-famous snare drummer, Drew Duthart.
But Sharon stands on her own in her efforts to raise the PPBSO higher.
In my last three years as president I have worked closely with Sharon and seen first-hand what Herculean feats of administration - and personal fortitude - she draws on to get the job done. I can also say, with complete confidence, that without Sharon Duthart’s professional drive, work ethic and overall personal excellence The Pipers’ & Pipe Band Society of Ontario would be very different. It would be much less.
And, so, I’m deeply honoured to present Sharon Duthart, on behalf of members of The Pipers’ & Pipe Band Society of Ontario, a recognition of Life Achievement in our Life Membership Award."