Paul Harris Fellow Awards

Posted by Deborah Garneau

Ian Forbes announced it was his honour and privilege to recognize our club's next Paul Harris Fellows.

Our Club awards Paul Harris Fellows to those the committee feels have provided extraordinary services to our club. Our Club has established an honourable tradition of awarding a Paul Harris Fellow to the Past Presidents of our Club. Serving as president certainly embodies that ideal.

Preparing to be president starts about two years before the actual term begins by letting your name stand to be vice president. Over the course of the next year and a half you spend time organizing thoughts developing ideas and watching the current president. The year that you are president elect you spend time attending various District training sessions, putting to paper your specific plans, and getting the incoming board together to make sure you are all on the same page.

Then July 1^st comes as President you hold your breath and you hope that all the planning that you did was sufficient and you hope you enjoy the ride. Ian Forbes in his presidential swan song chronicled the times required to be club president it is substantial.

Bob McKay did a lot of detailed planning. It started with attending PETS sessions, holding a number of incoming board meetings at his house and letting us all know what he wanted to accomplish. He challenged us to do our best to serve the club.

Bob's year started unofficially by attending the RI Convention in Chicago, Rotary's 100^th birthday party. He came back full of energy and ready to pass that energy on to our club. Under his leadership we ran successful galas, became involved in Rotary's Literacy Initative, continued with our club' traditional project, and increased our club's profile in the community. Our clubs membership increased substantially from the mid 30's to the mid 40's. We also co hosted a hospitality suite at the district conference. We had successful club assemblies full of debates and fellowship. All of which is a tribute to Bob's Leadership ability

Bob Mckay thanked Laetitia de Witt for all her hard work and making his year as president so successful. Bob was going to share his award with Laetitia but changed his mind because laetitia was also awarded her own Paul Harris Fellow for her involvement in World community Services, the Guatemala Literacy project. Laetitia was speechless at first but later thanked Bob, Matt and members.

Matt Taylor presented Ed Telenko one the longest serving members of this club but not the oldest with a Paul Harris fellow. Ed was voted the outstanding Young citizen of St. Catharines many years ago. He has served in many capacities in our city to name a few, Parole Board, March of Dimes, National Cash Registry Marketing Facilitator, and is a well known local artist. Ed is also a hard worker for the conservative Party former President of Welland Riding and presently a Director of the Board. Ed has a degree from the Ontario College of Arts Ed was a past President and with Howard Etherington started weekly Bingo at the Roller Rink. Our Club raised weekly as much as we now do monthly when Ed was the chairmen. Ed has served our club in many capacities as a participant and chairman. This year he has provided us with first class speakers every week. Director of Club Relations, chairperson for mentorship and Howard Etherington.

Laetitia was also awarded the Guatemala Literacy Fellow. This program recognizes individuals who have endeavored to bring the gift of literacy to children in Guatemala . The Guatemala Literacy project was founded in 1997 by a coalition of International Rotary Clubs to address the staggering rates of illiteracy and poverty in Guatemala , whose rural population is among the most economically disadvantaged and least educated in the Western Hemisphere . To date, the project has successfully brought first ever textbooks to over 23,000 rural schoolchildren, founded sixteen mini libraries and established sixteen computer centres, which provide education and technical training to 8,970 children each year.

Congratulation to Bob McKay Laetitia de Witt and Ed Telenko.

Click on the Club links for more detail about Paul Harris Fellow / Multiple Paul Harris