Brent Parkin is 2022 Rotarian of the Year
This year’s recipient is well known in Utah Rotary. Brent Parkin is currently our District Youth Chair and a trustee of our Youth Foundation. He worked very hard this year to resurrect our District Interact committee.
Brent has been involved in Rotary Youth Programs since 1992 when he was a Rotarian here in Oklahoma. He has been our District’s Youth Exchange Chair and has been his club’s Interact and Rotaract Chair. When he was President of Ogden Rotary Club, that club received the Club of the Year award.
Brent has been an Assistant Governor, Membership Chair, a RYLA facilitator, participated in District Conference, Rotary Conventions, and Friendship Exchanges. There is very little Brent has NOT done for Utah Rotary.
Cedar City is 2022 Rotary Club of the Year
The competition was very stiff this year and the criteria was very specific. Receiving the Rotary Citation was job one.
Next, was accomplishing exceptional achievement in all 4 areas of the Rotary International Action Plan: impactful service, productive partnering, adding value to the Rotary membership experience, and innovating to adapt to changing times.
And lastly, inviting young professionals new to Rotary to our professional development Conference this year.
All seven clubs that applied excelled in their efforts to bring the RI Action Plan into action in their clubs. However, just one club has already received the Rotary Citation and brought more young professionals to this Conference than any other club.
Under the leadership of Club President Miriam Keener, Cedar City Rotary Club members:
- participated in nearly two dozen service projects, including the food insecurity project this afternoon.
- participated in club visioning, Each One Bring One social, Collaborative Grants, Match Point Fundraiser to award more Paul Harris Fellowships.
- maintained an active social media presence.
- revamped dues and membership structure to be more flexible. Always invite families to service and socials.
- Involved three Interact clubs in fundraisers and service projects.
- Increased membership from 83 as of July 1 to 106 today. A 20% jump!
- received the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce award for best community organization.
Westminster College Rotaract is Club of the Year
Rotaractor of the Year: Jasmine Masih, Westminster Club President
Under the leadership of Club President Jasmine Masih, Westminster Rotaract Club:
- Increased membership from 29 to 52 members through multiple recruiting events, strong social media presence.
- Members have engaged in service projects to help: Afghan refugees, local nursing homes and hospitals, Salt Lake County Youth Homeless shelter.
- Multiple fundraisers this Rotary Year to benefit:
- Angel Flight West annually to help collect and deliver school supplies to title I schools in Utah, and free medical transportation to patients.
- And Project Embrace bring medical supplies and equipment to the Navajo Nation.
Jasmine Masih is a force of nature whose leadership and energy inspires her club members. She works with Type 1 Diabetics at the U of U Medical Center and is looking forward to medical school next year.
She is part of the Rotaract Committee for the November 2022 Big West Rotary Institute to be held in Salt Lake City.
Millcreek Rotarian John Haglund is Utah Rotary Unsung Hero
John Haglund joined the District Finance Committee last Spring as the Governors Financial Officer, keeping the books for everyone in our District Governor line – a huge job.
As we consolidated all of our District books into one bank, John developed our Articles of Incorporation and was the leading force in working with US Bank to move all monies and get folks signed on.
John has prepared quarterly financial statements for the first time in our District and has been instrumental in preparing the first ever District wide financial report, presented at District Conference. John has been diligent, and even long suffering in this position.
He is a long time Rotarian who is not just excellent at accounting, he is a past president of Millcreek Club, the club’s current treasurer, always there to serve his community and his family.
District Service Above Self Awards.
At District Conference, three unique club service initiatives were recognized:
Cache Valley Humanitarian Center – Begun in Spring 2021, Logan Rotary Club has partnered with Cache Valley Morning Club and 40 community partners to serve a wide variety of community needs. Why isn’t there one of these Rotary sponsored humanitarian centers in every community? Jay Black, Logan Club President, accepted the award along with club members Dwight Whittaker and Ralph Bair, and Cache Valley Morning member Cheryl Alder.
Family Service Club – Starting this Rotary Year, Ann Lobos, South Jordan Rotary President, and Alicia Summers, West Jordan Rotary Club president have been hosting a once-a-month service project open to families in the Daybreak area. Often, they have to turn people away! This is an innovative idea that might be one powerful way to grow Rotary.
Afghan Refugee Initiative – Fall of 2021, many members of the Salt Lake Club came together to start partnerships with Utah’s leading refugee services organizations and to find matching money for the $25,000 secured from the club’s Foundation to support Afghan refugee resettlement in Utah. Once everything was in place, Salt Lake Club President Scott Rosenbush prepared and presented a Project Proposal in the hopes District Governor Judy Zone would endorse the complex initiative so that other Utah Rotary clubs would be encouraged to contribute. Salt Lake Rotarian Don Weakley, who served in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army led the effort of contacting every club. Salt Lake Rotarian Duane Millard led the employment effort. Within a few months, the initiative won the support of almost every Utah Rotary Club, with a total of nearly $130,000 raised to welcome Afghan refugees to Utah. Much thanks also to Salt Lake Rotarian John Ashton and the club’s Foundation.
New or new level PHFs for Club Cluster Regional Assembly assistance
In Fall 2021, for eight Saturdays, Utah clubs from Logan to St George came together to discuss the RI Action Plan, learn about Rotary, share successes and issues, forge collaborations – and hear the District Governor talk. These regional assemblies could not have been possible without Salt Lake Rotarian Vicky Davison, Chief of Staff. But so many helped organize venues, food, and attendance! These new or next level Paul Harris Fellow pins were awarded at District Conference to show appreciation for an important job well done:
New Paul Harris Fellows:
- Sydney King, Bountiful Rotary
- Marcie Valdez, Layton Rotary Club President
Next level Paul Harris Awards:
- Lil Barron, Assistant Governor & Ralph Clingan, Red Rock Club President
- Jay Black, Logan Rotary Club President
- Jill Everett, Bountiful Rotary President
- Robert Holmes, Park City Rotary Past President, Assistant Governor
- Joe Kingsley, Moab Rotary PP, Assistant Governor
- Clark Merkley, Orem-Lindon Club PP, Assistant Governor
- John Redd, Bountiful Rotary PP, District Governor Nominee
Incredible Human Awards because these two Rotarians have already donated so much to The Rotary Foundation, there are no PHF levels left:
- Ralph Bair, Logan Rotary PP
- Dave Baranowski, Sugar House Rotary PP