Prestigious Paul Harris Fellowships Awarded

(Abbotsford, B.C.) – The Rotary Club of Abbotsford presented the prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship Awards to seven outstanding individuals/teams in recognition of their exceptional service to our community.

This recognition, named for Paul Harris the founder of Rotary International, is bestowed to both members of the local club and community individuals who have given outstanding service to their organization and community. “The following individuals exemplify by their actions and deeds the Rotary motto of Service above Self”, says Club President Hugh Ellis.

 

Lindsay Babineau was honored with a Paul Harris award, for her distinguished career as an educator and for her accomplishments as Executive Director of BC Ag in The Classroom. In this position, Lindsay led the program from implementation with 10 classroom to over 1400 BC classrooms reaching over 500,000 children who receive healthy snacks of fruits and vegetables 13 times during the school year.

 

The next six individuals/teams represent some of the original community volunteer groups that have helped deliver weekend meals to over 260 local children in need during the school year through Starfish Packs for the past two years.  Between providing significant financial contributions, they also provide the critical volunteers that make Starfish Packs possible.  Funding from local churches account for nearly 1 in 3 of all weekly Starfish Packs delivered and Abbotsford churches are providing more direct funding for Starfish Packs than any other source in the community.

 

Several of these groups have also expanded beyond Starfish Packs, and now provide satellite Food Bank locations over the summer months and summer sports programs for low income families.  Starfish Packs has created a unique partnership between local faith groups, service groups and businesses to positively impact the issues of child hunger and poverty in Abbotsford. 

 

Rotary Club President, Hugh Ellis and Director of Community Service, Bruce Beck on behalf of the Rotary Club of Abbotsford wish to honor and thank these Starfish Pack Champions in our community:

 

Melody Hammond and her Team at Northview Community Church; Mitch Borrows and his Team at Hill City Church; Christy Boulter at Hill City Church; Art Birch and his Team at Ross Road Community Church; Mike Bryant and his Team at Save On Foods on Whatcom Road; and Teresa & Charles De Boer from First Choice Transformations

 

For more information about the Starfish Packs Program, please visit www.starfishpack.com