Dr. Matthew Conway and Club President Lucy Andrade
Derby-Shelton Rotary President Lucy Andrade surprised Derby Superintendent of school Dr. Matthew Conway with a Paul Harris Award during the club’s annual scholarship luncheon on May 22. Andrade praised Dr. Conway for the work that he has done for all the students in the Derby School system and also for his support, encouragement and collaboration between the club and the students in the school system. In presenting the award, Rotary President Lucy Andrade said, ” Dr. Matthew Conway has consistently impressed me with his unwavering dedication, remarkable presence, and deep commitment to service. His thoughtful leadership and genuine care for others truly embody the spirit of the Paul Harris Award. This recognition is both well-earned and deeply inspiring.”
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. Rotarians have a tradition of supporting the Foundation by honoring others.
At the International Assembly in 1979, incoming RI President James Bomar challenged each Rotary club to make one non-Rotarian a Paul Harris Fellow. The Rotary Club of Pikesville, Maryland, USA, responded by making a donation in the name of Mother Teresa in 1980. The entertainer Pearl Bailey also became a Paul Harris Fellow through a joint effort of the Rotary clubs in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Many other notable figures have been named Paul Harris Fellows, including U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, U.S. astronaut James Lovell, UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar, and polio vaccine developer Jonas Salk.
The number of Paul Harris Fellows reached the 1 million mark in 2006.
