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RUMFORD — Three awards were presented at the annual holiday fellowship meeting of the River Valley Rotary Club on Dec. 5 at 49 Franklin St.
Presenting the Citizen of the Year award was last year’s winner, Patty Duguay, who surprised her husband Dave, this year’s Citizen of the Year and 2016-17 club president, by reading off a list of his involvements not only within the club and local community but for statewide programs and projects, a list too long to repeat here.
The guest speaker for the night’s event was District Governor 7780 Marge Barker, who presented two Paul Harris awards to fellow Rotarians. The first Paul Harris award went to Joe Sirois, who received his sixth. The second went to Roger Whitehouse, who took home his third Paul Harris.
Named after Rotary’s founder, the Paul Harris Society recognizes Rotary members and friends of the Rotary Foundation who contribute $1,000 or more each year to the annual fund, Polio Plus Fund or approved global grants. The purpose of the Paul Harris Society is to honor and thank individuals for their generous, ongoing support of the Rotary Foundation.
The giving promotes peace, fights disease, provides clean water, saves mothers and children, supports education and grows local economies through grants, including:
Peace-building seminars for 200 teachers and 1,300 students in Uganda.
Distributing insecticide-treated mosquito nets and medical services that help prevent malaria in Mali.
Train teachers who are establishing an early-childhood education center in South Africa.
Provide water filters, toilet blocks and hygiene training to prevent fluorosis in a community in India.
Fund a scholarship for a medical professional to research ways to minimize mortality rates among premature babies in Italy.
Protect children around the world from polio.
Photo captions:
Patty Duguay reads the list of accomplishments of her husband, 2016-17 Club President and Citizen of the Year Dave Duguay.
From left, Club President Elect 2016-2017 Randall Therrien, District Governor Marge Barker, 2014-2015 Club President Joe Sirois and his wife, Ann Wood, Club President 2015-2016 Dave Duguay and past Club President 2013-2014 Roger Whitehouse gather at the annual holiday fellowship meeting on Dec. 5.
