(above) President-Elect Eugene Mitchell and Vicky Griswold pose with the Rotary International Foundation’s Paul Harris Fellow Recognition certificate and pin.
Rotary Club Presents Paul Harris Fellow Recognition
Vicky Griswold Receives Special Presentation
Submitted by Michael R. Townley
Weeks of quarantine and Covid-19 pandemic precautions have kept the members of the Rotary Club of the Plainfields from in-person meetings. Relying on virtual meetings every two weeks, the members have managed to stay in touch with each other and share events and news.
As valued as those virtual meetings can be when in-person contact is prohibited or discouraged, they are no substitute for the camaraderie of face-to-face contact. Luckily, club members had the opportunity to gather at the home of one of the newest members and share lunch and a special presentation at the same time.
The quiet, park-like setting was an ideal place to sit, enjoy lunch, and quietly share the joy of being with friends unseen for many weeks. It also gave the club the opportunity to witness the presentation of a Paul Harris Fellow Recognition to longtime member Vicky Griswold, former owner of the Plainfield Music Store.
The Paul Harris Fellow Recognition is earned through a person’s contributions to the Rotary Foundation in a cumulative amount of $1,000.00 over any period of time. It is a way for the Foundation to showcase the value it places in its supporters.
“Vicky has been a dedicated member of our club since 1999, and served as our club president for two years,” said current club president Shannon Jefferys. “We presented Vicky with our ‘Service Above Self Award’ in 2018 to recognize her dedication to Rotary and the principles that guide us in service to others. This Paul Harris Fellow Recognition is just one more example of how Vicky puts others first.”
The presentation was made by President-Elect Eugene Mitchell. “A world of peace and goodwill comes closer to reality today as Vicky becomes a Paul Harris Fellow,” said Mr. Mitchell. “It is because of gifts such as Vicky’s that the Rotary Foundation can carry out an array of programs that achieve beneficial changes in the world: improved living conditions; increased food production; better education; wider availability of treatment and rehabilitation for the sick and disabled; new channels for the flow of international understanding; and brighter hopes for peace.”
There are now eight current members of the Rotary Club of the Plainfields who enjoy the distinction of being a Paul Harris Fellow, including one member who has received the recognition eight times.
“Our club also uses the Paul Harris Fellow Recognition as a way to acknowledge a person’s contributions to the club and to the community,” said President Jefferys. “We make a donation of $1,000.00 in that person’s name, thereby entitling them to the special designation that comes with being a Paul Harris Fellow.” Some previous recipients recognized for their contributions include the late Milt Campbell, Plainfield native and Olympic decathlon champion; Francis L. Lawrence, president of Rutgers, the State University in 1997; Thomas Brown, president of Union County College in 1993; and Plainfield educators Herbert “Hub” Stine, Abram “Abe” Smith, and Charles Carter, among many other noteworthy recipients.
The Rotary Club of the Plainfields normally meets weekly for lunch to share in friendship and to plan projects and activities to support the people in the Plainfields. Meetings are suspended during the pandemic; visit rotarypnp.org to find out when and where the meetings will resume. Contact Michael Townley, club secretary, for more information – secretary@rotarypnp.org.
(above) President-Elect Eugene Mitchell reads the announcement presenting the Rotary International Foundation’s Paul Harris Fellow Recognition to club member Vicky Griswold.
(above) Club members pose at the August 26 club meeting at the home of Louise Colodne, second from right, where Vicky Griswold, far right, received Paul Harris Fellow Recognition.
