Mount Olive Rotary names Harris Fellows
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on September 17, 2004 1:57 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- The Rotary Club bestowed three Paul Harris Fellowships on Thursday night at the Southern Belle.
One of the fellowships, each of which is worth $1,000, was presented posthumously to Rotarian Norbert Wilson. Another went to Greg O'Donoghue as a surprise from his wife, Rotarian Patti O'Donoghue. And Dan Blackshear, president of Carolina Turkeys, earned his the old-fashioned way. He donated $1,000 to Rotary International.
Assistant District Gov. Richard Hunt from the Goldsboro Three Eagles Rotary Club bestowed the fellowships during family night at the Mount Olive Rotary Club meeting.
The group of about 50 people included spouses and guests.
"We move closer to a more peaceful world today as Norbert Wilson, Dan Blackshear and Greg O'Donoghue become Paul Harris Fellows," said Hunt.
The Paul Harris Fellowship is named for a Chicago man who, in 1905, formed Rotary with three of his business associates. The fellowship was established in his honor in 1957 to express appreciation for a $1,000 contribution to the humanitarian and educational programs of the Rotary Foundation.
Those programs include an array of projects that provide things like education, food, potable water, health care, immunizations and shelter for millions of people.
Rotarians can also designate a Paul Harris Fellow when they want to recognize someone whose life demonstrates a shared purpose with the objectives and mission of the Rotary Foundation to build world understanding and peace.
Norbert Wilson was a Rotarian 49 years and started before the beginning of the Paul Harris Fellowship. His son, Norbie, said his father lived the Rotarian Four-Way Test for what is thought, said and done every day. The Four-Way Test is: "Is it true, fair to all concerned, will it build good will and better friendships and will it be beneficial to all concerned?"
Mount Olive Rotary President Dwayne Parvin said he's been very impressed by the work done by the club, "and Norbert's life was a legacy that's going to be hard for us to live up to."
Greg O'Donoghue, a toastmaster and never at a loss for words, was at a loss for words. "I know how my wife treasures the Paul Harris Fellowship, and to go through this trouble to see that I got this means more to me than I can say."
A quieter Dan Blackshear said, "Thank you."
This morning, Blackshear, who has been a Rotarian 25 years in three clubs in three cities, said he's very pleased to help support the activities of the Rotary Foundation.