By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
Prior to the onset of the evening’s events at the Dec.10 annual Rotary Draw, held at the Caribou Inn and Convention Center, Caribou Rotary President Douglas Hunter addressed those in attendance and presented a special award to one of the club’s long-time members.
Contributed photo
Don Collins, center, was presented with the Caribou Rotary Club’s Service Above Self Award by Doug Hunter, club president, during the Dec. 10 Annual Rotary Draw event held at the Caribou Inn and Convention Center. Shown with Collins are his wife Pat and Caribou Rotary President Hunter. Other family members on hand to participate in the presentation were, from left: daughter-in-law, Lise, sons Gregg and Sam, granddaughter Clara and daughter-in-law Lori.
“Before we get started with the draw this evening,” stated Hunter, “I have a special presentation I would like to make on behalf of the Rotary Board and our membership.”
“Many of you may not know but Rotary was established in Caribou in 1925. Since its founding, our club has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars used to support our local community,” said Hunter. “It is appropriate that the Rotary motto is ‘Service Above Self.’”
“The award I would like to present tonight is taken from our motto — the Service Above Self Award. The recipient of this award has a long history of tradition with our club, as his father served as our Rotary District Governor from 1958 to 1959 and two of his sons are also Rotarians,” Hunter continued.
“Don Collins first joined the Caribou Rotary Club in 1949 and has led our club in singing for many years,” Hunter stated, “which is why, if you’ve ever been to a Caribou Rotary Club meeting, you know why we are known as the ‘Singing Rotary Club.’ For his leadership to both the city of Caribou and to the Caribou Rotary Club, I present the Service Above Self Award to Don Collins.”
