(Abbotsford, BC) – Ten exceptional and deserving students at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) received Leadership Awards of $1000 each from the Rotary Club of Abbotsford. The recipients were: Nathan Abrahams, Tony Chae, Kevin Janz, Sanjit Makkar, Kamal Moghrabi, Evgenia Pyzhyanova, Jacqueline Riller, Sophie Smit, Marnie Titus, and Danika Snook.
The Rotary Club on Tuesday October 1st was honoured to have UFV students as guests and had the opportunity to meet these talented young leaders. The students also spoke and expressed their gratitude and appreciation for receiving their Leadership Award. Rotary Club President Angelo Rea said, “each of them inspired the club with their commitment to their education, their community and their willingness to make a positive difference in the world.”
Special guest Christopher Duffin, Awards Development Officer at UFV outlined the importance of the awards program at UFV and how it helps students to reach their goals and dreams. “Every amount helps and encourages students to keep going even when they are faced with adversity,” says Mr. Duffin.
The club was very fortunate to have also hosted Rotarians who are participating in a Rotary Friendship Exchange between our Rotary District 5050 and District 9930. The Rotarians came from the central part of the North Island of New Zealand and included Caroline and Paul Lampp, Fred and Cec Barrett, Dianne Bromhead and Jim Clark . They brought greetings and an informative presentation on the beauty and wonder of New Zealand.
While in the Lower Mainland the group toured White Rock, several agriculture venues in Abbotsford including Calais Greenhouse, BC Agriculture in the Classroom Garden, and Eco Dairy, as well as the Reach Gallery Museum and Fort Langley.
Both clubs have exchanged several ambitious ideas around community service projects, educational programs and ways to improve fundraising projects. Local Rotarians from District 5050 will be gathering to return to New Zealand in May 2014.
About Rotary
Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 34,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world.
The Rotary Club of Abbotsford was formed in 1950 and meets every Tuesday at noon at the Salvation Army Cascade Centre on Delair Road. Over the years the club has accomplished many exciting projects including the construction of Rotary Stadium, a $3,000,000 sports facility; provided the capital funding for Rotary House Preschool, a learning facility for challenged preschool children; assisted the Abbotsford Hospice Society with $200,000 towards retiring their mortgage; sponsored a Rotaplast mission to Cebu, Philippines that provided corrective surgery for children with cleft lip and palate; and donated $200,000 to the new Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre, to purchase equipment and furnishings for the new children’s area.
The Rotary Club of Abbotsford is also committed to providing youth with opportunities to help develop tomorrow’s leaders. Each year the club provides eighteen $500 scholarships and bursaries to graduating Abbotsford high school students through the Abbotsford Community Foundation.
If you would like more information about Rotary International and/or the Rotary Club of Abbotsford, please visit www.rotary.org and/or www.abbotsfordrotary.com.