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Small club makes big impact
Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise receives top district award
Jacob Robinson
Oct 30, 2018 • October 30, 2018 • 2 minute read
The Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise was presented with three awards at its weekly meeting at Riversyde 83 on Tuesday morning. The most prestigious was the Governor's Trophy, which recognizes the top club among the 68 within District 7090. Past district governor Reg Madison of Brantford congratulates the club's past president Gail Catherwood. Photo by JACOB ROBINSON /Simcoe Reformer
Norfolk Sunrise is small, but it's also mighty.
At its weekly meeting Tuesday morning in Simcoe, the local group of 48 was presented with three awards, the most notable being the Governor's Trophy given to the top club in the district for 2017-18.
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District 7090 stretches as far west as Delhi, heads into Hamilton and goes throughout southern Ontario and past the Canada/U.S. border and continues west of Rochester and over to the New York/Pennsylvania border. Nearly 70 clubs occupy that space but only one received all eight votes for the award, which was established by the Brantford club back in 2012.
"I think it gives the membership of a club a sense of satisfaction that they're being recognized for all the wonderful things they do and this club does do wonderful things," said past district governor Reg Madison of Brantford, who was on hand to present the award to the club's past president Gail Catherwood.
"The things they do are endless."
The Norfolk Sunrise group supports a number of initiatives locally. Most recently members delivered flowers to residents living in retirement communities and hosted a Coats for Kids fundraiser, which accumulated over 400 jackets for those in need.
They've also worked to build hospitals overseas and assist residents of disaster-stricken areas within Central America.
"I didn't know that the award existed," admitted Catherwood.
"Whenever I've worked or volunteered I always look at what's happening within my own four walls because you can control that – you don't think of what's happening elsewhere. So when someone recognizes what you did, that's what makes it great."
The club was also given the Rotary Citation and District Lighthouse Award for various projects. Just one example of the group's commitment to making the world a better place comes from its tree planting stats. Rotary International suggests planting one tree for each member of the club. In 2017-18 Norfolk Sunrise planted close to 200.
"It's not that you have to win, to me, you're playing the game," Madison said of the awards. "It's like playing the game of golf, it doesn't matter if you shoot 110 or 70, if you like the game and you're doing your best at it, that's what's important … you've got clubs of 100 people and they didn't come close to accomplishing what Gail and her club did."
Other clubs to win the Governor's Trophy include St. Catharines and Welland but also some in the U.S. as well.
"I'm proud of being a Canadian and I'm proud of more Canadian names being on there than U.S., even though the U.S. has a few more clubs than we do in Canada," Madison said.
During a speech to the club, Madison told members they have made a major difference both at home and abroad.
"It's great for the club, it boosts morale, which we probably don't need a lot of, but they're a great club and they should be recognized," Catherwood said.
"Rotary has been a great thing for this community and for all of us. If you get a special project … we'll help you make that happen and that's a great thing."
jrobinson@postmedia.com