Rotarians gathered to honor the recipient of the “Service Above Self” award. Before finding out who our distinguished winner was, we had the usual gonging of the bell and Rotarian business. During the Sunshine Report, Lance asked for prayers for his mother-in-law, who had a heart procedure, and David Kelley asked for prayers for his granddaughter.
Brags were shared by:
- Stacie, who bragged about firefighters who helped her son during recent storms.
- Cara, who bragged about her son, who is undefeated in a homeschool basketball league.
- Judy, who bragged about many people, including Rotarians, who helped move things at Beacon Lighthouse when a flood threatened.
- John, who bragged about Rotarians who helped at Rotary Park. He mentioned that Noros Martin relived a moment of his childhood by getting on the zip line. He reportedly made it home to Dee Ann intact.
The program was presented by Mike Saville. He began by saying, “Today’s program is where we celebrate the unwavering dedication, bravery, and selflessness of our first responders. Today, we gather under the banner of Rotary’s enduring motto, ‘Service Above Self,’ to recognize those who have exemplified this very principle in their daily lives.” Mike shared snippets of history about the evolution of Rotary’s service-above-self motto, noting that it originated at a Rotary convention in Chicago in 1910.
Mike noted that today’s program is a testament to the spirit of selflessness and the impact of service. After recognizing the Service Above Self Committee (Jeremy Woodward, Josh Phillips, Jackie Lebow, Dave Hartman, Sheldon Wang, James Hughes, Glenn Tarter, and Braden Wood), Mike presented the three award nominees, who were all in attendance.
- Officer Jesse Bartow has been with the Wichita Falls Police Department for 19 years and is currently serving in the Special Operations Section. He’s a K9 handler and has been responsible for bringing several new technologies, such as the force’s drone program, to the department’s crime-fighting arsenal. This has been instrumental in apprehending numerous criminals.
- Officer Brian Bohn serves with the Wichita Falls ISD Police Department. He previously served 29 years at the Wichita Falls Police Department. He mentors new officers and shares his extensive knowledge of law enforcement practices. Officer Bohn often volunteers after work and on weekends to help WFISD Career Education Center students prepare for law enforcement contests.
- Captain Jonathan Lindsey has served in the Wichita Falls Police Department for 24 years. He is currently the Investigative Services Captain over all investigative departments. He holds a Master Peace Officer Certificate, is certified in SWAT, and is a firearms instructor. He’s received numerous awards, including the Police Commendation Award, Certificate of Merit Award, Police Excellence Award (four times), and Life-Saving Award.
The 2025 Service Above Self Award was presented to Officer Jesse Bartow in recognition of his outstanding service in working tirelessly to help keep our community safer. His wife, Leeann, was present to savor the accolades alongside her husband. Officer Bartow humbly said, “I don’t do it for the recognition; I do it because it’s in my heart.” Thank you, Officer Bartow, and other distinguished nominees, for carrying out “Service Above Self” daily.