“And the award goes to …”

Amazing how time flies … the signature annual events of the District Rotary Foundation Committee, the Foundation Awards Banquet and the Friends of the Foundation Reception  are behind us.

Last Thursday  160 Rotarians from across the district came to the Banquet to watch others receive and to receive themselves over 126 individual and club awards.  But it wasn’t just an evening of awards and pats on the back.  It was an evening of warmth, humor, congeniality, and sharing.  Did we mention food? It was also an impromptu ‘roast’ of Jim Probsdorfer whose final year as the District Foundation Committee Chair was being recognized.

The Friends of the Foundation Reception is an event funded in part by the District Budget (not Foundation funds) and by generous sponsors to recognize and to thank Major Donors, members of the Bequest Society, and members of the Paul Harris Society.  Two new major donors were presented with their crystals at the Reception …Sam Shiplett (James River -Richmond) and Bill Sharp (Warwick). This year our generous sponsor was The Rotary Club of James River (Richmond) VA.

The Foundation Awards Banquet is self-funded by the attendees of the Banquet and includes some or all of the expenses for the keynote speaker and any special guests.  This year Past Rotary International Director John Smarge was our keynoter and Erin Groble, recently appointed as the Major Gifts Officer for Zones 33 and 34, were our guests.  It was Erin’s first visit to a district and we made quite an impression, hopefully a good one.

More detail will be provided in the District Newsletter, The Spirit of 7600, to be published later this month, but for now congratulations to all who received awards and special shout outs to The Rotary Club of James River (Richmond) VA on becoming only the third in the world and the first in the USA … 100% Paul Harris Society Club; to Jerry Fields on being awarded the Outstanding Alumni of the Year Award, and to Bill Stramm on becoming a recipient of the Pierce Foundation Leadership Award.

John Smarge, DG Diane, and Bill Stramm, later in the evening the recipient of the Pierce Foundation Leadership Award  by Lisa Clary