Citing service above the call of duty, retiring Forest Lake Rotary Club President Rich Ottomeyer presented an honorary Paul Harris Fellowship award to the Forest Lake Lions Club.The presentation was made at the Rotary Clubís annual awards banquet Thursday, June 24 at the North Oaks Country Club.
Nine members of the Lions Club were in attendance to acknowledge the award. Current Lions president Lloyd Sather accepted the award on behalf of the club. He saluted the Rotary and said both clubs have similar structural organizations and both were started in the Chicago area. The Rotary began in 1905 and the Lions started in 1917.
Ottomeyer paid honor to the Forest Lake Lions Clubís community efforts and said that the Lions and Rotary clubs have joined in performing service projects.
ìIn the process, our members have become friends,î he said.
Ottomeyer reviewed the past year and said the Rotary Club gave out more than $30,000 the past year. In the last eight years, the club has given over $260,000 to the community.
Ottomeyer passed the mantle of leadership to Chris Johnson who will be centennial president during Rotaryís 100th year.
The Rotary is doing a Centennial project, work on Shields Lake, Johnson said.
During the next year the club also plans to sponsor a club for younger people, an interact club, said Johnson.
Other Harris fellowships were given to Rob Collins, Rich Ottomeyer and Claire Lillis.
For the second consecutive year, the Rotary Club presented a Distinguished Community Service Award to a member performing exceptional service to the community. Alan Bakke was this yearís recipient. Gene Hallberg received the award last year.
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