Paul Harris Fellowship Awards 2016
Posted by Sue Foster
on Mar 24, 2016
The Rotary Club of Lincoln Foundation Committee is pleased to announce that Diana Bujas & Tony Van Es were honoured as the club’s 2016 Paul Harris Fellowship Award recipients at a reception at Redstone Winery March 22, 2016
Diana Bujas
Diana is a longstanding and devoted “Friend of Lincoln Rotary”. Whatever Rotary Bob is up to, you can always find Diana working beside him and sometimes in front.
Since the inception of the Lamplighter Tour in 2004, the success of the popular tearoom is in large part because of Diana’s leadership. Playing the role of the legendary “Miss Nettie”, the spirited tearoom hostess, she greets some 550 guests during the 4-day run of the production each year. Behind the scenes, she is the mastermind and chief organizer of everything needed to operate the tearoom. She bakes, recruits and schedules the volunteers, arranges themed decorations, ensures that food handling regulations are met, and so much more. This is a year round commitment, which Diana cheerfully and very capably manages voluntarily.
Similarily, with Lincoln Rotary’s Wing Ding: Chicken Wings & Blues Fest, launched in 2013, Diana has served as the lead for the organization of the vendor village. This endeavour also requires hundreds of hours of her time to seek out appropriate vendors, collect fees, and be on hand at Charles Daley Park to oversee every aspect of the village for the duration of this annual 3-day summer event. The value of Diana’s volunteer efforts with the vendor village, as an integral element of this major club fundraising project, is immeasurable.
Over the life of the Rotary Club of Lincoln, Diana has always served in the best interests of all Rotarians. And, it is notable that she and Bob are truly engaged in nurturing the Rotary ideal, “Service Above Self”, within their family. At many Lincoln Rotary events, their children and grandchildren are often among the cadre of community volunteers and willingly ‘pitch in’ to help wherever needed.
Tony Van Es
Tony established the Beamsville Relay Station as a full service truck stop in 1980. Since then, he and his family have grown their business to include several complementary companies along with Outfront Portable Solutions – a North American industry leader in the manufacturing and distribution of display hardware, structures, and systems geared for garden centres. With his wife, Pat Van Es, as co-owner, their suite of businesses now includes fashion and home décor, which were added when they renovated the Relay Travel Centre to include retail stores, Muse & Nestje, in 2013.
While building his business, Tony has always served to help build his community. Tony’s support for community organizations and projects is both generous and unwavering. He has enabled countless groups to do the things that make a difference for so many in our local community and well beyond. Through financial contributions, the provision of goods and services, and random acts of kindness, Tony ‘gives back’ without hesitation.
Formerly an active Lincoln Rotarian, Tony is now an Honorary Member of the Rotary Club of Lincoln. It is safe to say that virtually every fundraising and service initiative undertaken by our club over almost 20 years has been aided by Tony’s involvement. Whether it be a substantial sponsorship for the golf tournament or the fencing system and other equipment required for Wing-Ding, Tony, Pat, and their staff team are ever present with their support.
In all that he is about, Tony exemplifies “Service Above Self”. Our community and Rotary club are blessed to have such a congenial and big-hearted person in our midst.