RI announces the Service Above Self Awards for 2012-13 5020 District Rotarian Robert Wubbena is one of the honored recipients
The August issue of The Rotarian announced the winners of the RI Service Above Self Awards. The award recognizes Rotarians who have demonstrated exemplary humanitarian service, especially those who have helped others through personal volunteer work and active involvement in Rotary. This award is the highest honour for individual Rotarians and goes to no more than 150 Rotarians each year.
This year, one of those people awarded was in District 5020. His name is Robert Wubbena and he is with the Rotary Club of Olympia.
Now I have been a Rotarian since 1997 and actively involved in District events, projects both local and international, posted and read all the newsletters since we had a website and I know a fair amount of people in our district. However I have never heard of Robert Wubbena. Robert Wubbena seems to be one of those many hidden heroes in our district.
So I asked the question of Robert Wubbena who he is and does he know why he got this award. He was very kind to send me the resume that he was asked to provide so that members of his club could present the application to RI which he did not see. It's amazing what some people help accomplish in a short period of time.
Bob Wubbena's ROTARY ACTIVITIES.
In 2002, the Rotary Club of Olympia asked Bob to assist them raise funds and to help oversee a water project in Livingstonia Malawi, and to join Rotary. Since that time, the eight year Livingstonia Regional Water Project, under Bob's management, has been completed and now serves as one of the models for Wasrag's PEP involvement. The project was funded by 50 Rotary Clubs and 5 Districts along with 10 MG and $800,000. The project has the capacity to serve ten villages, 30,000 people, a new rural university, hospital and a growing economic center. The project is a gravity flow system with 35 miles of distribution lines, metered services with a tariff system to pay for maintenance and operations, a sanitation program, hygiene education, watershed management and more.
During this same time, Bob's involvement in Rotary included:
- Six trips to Malawi and to other countries involved in Rotary WASH projects
- Serving as Vice Chair of Wasrag for five years and now as the Chief Operating Officer to guide the TRF/Wasrag PEP Pilot program
- Serving as Chair of the Synergy Committee, guiding the linkage of 16 RAGS to the Future Vision program
- Overseeing the development of the Wasrag Start With Water Model being used by the TRF PEP Pilot Project.
- Locally, as Co Chair of the $400,000 eight Rotary Club design and construction of a waterfront community Rotary Point Park
- Co Chair and member of the annual Cool Jazz/Clean Water &Wine Event, raising over $250,000 for water projects, purchase of instruments & annual Youth Summit
- Board member and 2012 President Elect of Rotary Club of Olympia.
- Project Manager of new Global Grant for Remba Island Kenya. Project being funded by 5 Districts and over 15 clubs.
- Advising Lewis Co RC on new regional/PEP WASH project in Papua New Guinea
- Recipient of the Club's Fred Balz/Service Above Self Award and the Clubs Environmental Service Award.
It's always a problem with Rotary and Rotarians that we don't do enough to promote the work we do. If you would like to help me promote our hidden heroes drop me a line and lets promote the great work we do, together.
More information on the Livingstonia Regional Water Project
A Short History of the project