John Gibbs, Benny O’Connor and Gerry Purcell have all been named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation during a meeting of the 30th anniversary of the Galway Salthill Rotary Club.
The Galway Salthill Rotary Club, recognised John Gibbs for his 30 years of exceptional service to Rotary, Benny O’Connor with 20 years of service to Rotary and Gerry Purcell for his decade of service to Rotary as a Paul Harris Fellow in special appreciation for the ways in which their lives exemplified the humanitarian and educational objectives of The Rotary Foundation.
This Rotary Club thanked the three Rotarians for demonstrating in their life and vocation a commitment to helping others.
Club President Brian Fallon started the opening speech and announced the presentation of an award called the “Paul Harris Fellow” honour: “The Paul Harris Fellow Award is the highest honour a club can bestow on a person, either inside or outside the club. The award therefore acknowledges “service above self” which that individual has offered to their community, their nation or indeed to the world.
The District Governor Declan Tyner said: “it gives me great pleasure and honour to present John Gibbs, Benny O’Connor and Gerry Purcell, on behalf of the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation, these emblems of a Paul Harris Fellow; the certificate and pin. The certificate states that these Rotarians have been named a Paul Harris Fellow, “in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendship between peoples of the World”.
Paul Harris was the founder of Rotary and this award programme was created to fund many Rotary Foundation programmes. Galway Salthill Rotary Club is part of the Rotary International District 1160. The club members meet every Monday at 6:30PM at the Ardilaun Hotel. For more information about membership or the club, contact Secretary Sean Forrestal at 085 858 9040 or visit the website at www.salthillrotaryclub.org
