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Sylvia and Buzz Groleau were more than a little bit surprised to learn last week that they had been named this year’s Holmen Citizens of the Year by the Holmen Lioness Club.

“I didn’t even know there was such an award,” said Sylvia.

That’s not surprising, though, as the award was given the first time last year. Tammy Addleman, longtime manager of the Holmen YMCA branch, was the inaugural honoree in 2007.

But even if the Groleaus had known about the award, they still would have been surprised. They’re being honored for sharing the gift of music, and they insist that’s something they love to do.

“This award doesn’t seem quite right because we enjoy doing this,” Sylvia said. “You get an award for having fun?”

Buzz made a living from music for many years, teaching instrumental music in a number of school districts. He retired from his job as band director at Melrose-Mindoro High School, and then he traded in the sound of kids making music for the sound of kids making noise, serving for many years as a school bus driver for the Holmen School District.

The Groleaus have lived in Holmen for about 35 years, and for most of that time Sylvia has been playing piano for either the Holmen Community Choir or the Coulee Region Gospel Choir. She also has been playing piano on Sundays at Sand Lake Wesleyan Church for 25 years and has been known to fill in for piano players at other area churches when needed.

“The unique thing about her is she’ll step up to bat to help,” said Ruth Ann Granum, who directs the Coulee Region Gospel Choir and has worked with Sylvia for many years. “If a church needs someone, she’s always been available to help.”

Years ago, the couple performed as the Buzz Groleau Trio with their young son, Gary, with Buzz playing saxophone and Gary playing trumpet and both playing drums. They even played on a float in the Kornfest parade.

Sylvia and Buzz also are well known at senior centers and nursing homes around the area for their entertaining mix of old-time music and humor. Sylvia couldn’t quite remember how long they’d been doing it or how they got started.

“I suppose somebody asked us once to do it and we found out, hey, this is kind of fun,” said Sylvia, retired after 30 years as a bookkeeper.

As much as Sylvia and Buzz like to downplay their contributions, Holmen Lioness Club President Nancy Proctor said it is a big deal what they’ve done over the years.

“They’ve done a lot for this village since they’ve lived here,” said Proctor, who sings in the Coulee Region Gospel Choir. “They volunteer their time to play at all the senior functions. ... Buzz doesn’t play drums anymore but that doesn’t stop him from pitching in. He sings and tells jokes.”

Sylvia’s tendency to volunteer her musical talents won her some unexpected recognition at least one other time. A couple years ago, she was at a performance at First Free Evangelical Church in Onalaska by Dino, who is known as “America’s piano showman,” a sort of evangelical Christian version of Liberace.

Dino asked if there were any piano playing grandmothers in the audience, and Sylvia went onstage and wowed the crowd and Dino so much that he invited her and Buzz to come to Branson, Mo., in spring 2007 for an extended engagement. Sylvia was a piano-playing plant in the audience, and got to go up and play with Dino at every show.

The thing about Dino, Sylvia said, was he always made sure that she outshone him. “He wanted to put across that piano playing can be fun,” she said.

Sylvia also has joined Dino at some of his touring show concerts, playing last June in Austin, Minn., and some Christmas shows in Indiana last December.

Musically, Sylvia and Buzz favor the old standards. Two songs that always go over big at their senior gigs are “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” and “You Are My Sunshine.” Even the Alzheimer’s patients can sing along to oldies like that.

“What most people want to hear these days for music is totally different,” Sylvia said. “That’s why we play at the nursing homes.”