Front row, from left, Eleanor Evenden, Elizabeth Newman, Walli Crysler, Ann Zavitz. Back row: Bob Bruce, Ernest Gilliatt, Paul Winkler, Roy Sheldrick, John Babcock.

At a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Ancaster, 12 people were recognized with Paul Harris Awards. The Paul Harris Award, named after the founder of Rotary, recognizes significant contributions to society in keeping with the objectives of Rotary to promote health, education, human welfare and peace around the world.

Past District-Governor Bob Bruce presented the awards from the Rotary Foundation to Walli Crysler, Eleanor Evenden, Robert Riddell, Ann Zavitz, David Bradshaw, Elizabeth Newman, Paul Winkler and three anonymous donors to the Haiti Water For Life Program. Each of the honourees has provided the funding needed to drill a well under the Haiti program. The program has drilled over 155 wells in the Artibonite Valley in central Haiti over the past 14 years. Providing water to residents in 155 villages, the program helps to achieve better health standards in remote areas.

At the same meeting Ernest Gilliatt was recognized as a Rotary International major donor in recognition of his continuing contributions to the Rotary Foundation and the Haiti Program. Mr. Bruce also presented a Paul Harris Award to Rotary Club of Ancaster past-president Roma Sohal in recognition of her service as club president in 2007-08.

The Rotary Club of Ancaster was founded in 1978 and is a member organization of Rotary International, the largest service club organization in the world with over 32,000 clubs and 1.2 million members in over 200 countries. For more information on the Rotary Club of Ancaster and the Haiti Water For Life Program, go to www.AncasterRotary.com or contact current club president Lee Kirkby at 905-648-0463.