It was my great pleasure to be able to present to Mike Bell a Paul Harris Fellowship. Mike has been a member of our club for 34 years. He served as our President in 2007/8 and was Secretary for 9 years. For the past few years, he has been our PR & Media Chair and as such has contributed so much to the promotion and success of Faringdon & District Rotary club, bringing the club to the attention of both our local and the wider community. His professional approach to our Newsletter won us an award of Best Newsletter of the District and it has I am sure been instrumental in bringing new members to our club.
Mike and his wife Jane have helped on numerous occasions at the events we have held; too many to name! He is a fount of knowledge on all things Rotary – something that I personally called on many times during my year as President. This prestigious award is a well-deserved recognition of our thanks to him and I know, from Mike’s reaction on receiving it, very much appreciated.
Shaena Whitney
President 2020/21
The Paul Harris Fellowship
The Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation.
Rotary established the recognition in 1957 to encourage and show appreciation for substantial contributions to what was then the Foundation’s only program, Rotary Foundation Fellowships for Advanced Study, the precursor to Ambassadorial Scholarships.
The first Paul Harris Fellows included past RI Director Allison G. Brush, who served during the 1937-38 Rotary year, and longtime RI Treasurer Rufus F. Chapin, both for donations made in 1946. Mrs. Adan Vargas was the first woman to receive the recognition, for a gift made in 1953. Mrs. Harry L. Jones was the second, and one of only five people recognized for contributions actually made in that inaugural year.
Early Paul Harris Fellows received a certificate of recognition.