By Dave Handy, president of the Creston Valley Rotary Club
In very special circumstances, Paul Harris Recognition is given to non-Rotarians in the community who demonstrate Rotary’s motto, “Service Above Self,” in the way they live and are seen in the community.
The Creston Valley Rotary Club (CVR) recognized Darcy Elliott, the owner of Hidden Valley Wood Fibre Ltd, with this award at the club’s regular meeting on Tuesday, July 21 in the Rotary Pavilion in Centennial Park.
Elliott is better known to the members of CVR for bailing them all out at Bill Pfeifer’s and the club’s annual Block Parties, an annual wood sales fundraiser for the club. The event started with incredible hands-on work by members with chainsaws, wood splitters, wheelbarrows and painkillers to ease the back and muscle pains.
About eight years ago, Elliott was asked by Pfeifer if he could assist the club with the wood sales project, and an incredible partnership was formed with Elliott, his expertise and equipment. He ended up bucking, splitting and delivering to the CVR completely ready-to-go split wood, and was responsible for about $100,000 raised in sales during these years that have been returned directly into projects and services in the Creston Valley by CVR.
Along with his wife Lisa, Elliott was formally recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow in appreciation for his contributions in community leadership and service, and in particular, his in-kind and financial support of our annual wood sales fundraiser known as the “Block Party.”
Elliott personally — and through his Hidden Valley Wood Fibre Ltd. business — is an example of the many citizens of the Creston Valley whose service and contributions often go unnoticed.
Paul Harris was an attorney from Chicago, Ill. He founded the club that became the humanitarian organization Rotary International in 1905. The Paul Harris Fellowship was established in his honour in 1957 to express appreciation for financial contributions to the humanitarian and educational programs of the Rotary foundation.
Continuing the legacy of Rotary’s founder, the Paul Harris Fellow program recognizes individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
CVR annually makes contributions to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, and over the years accumulates “credits” that we choose to apply towards Paul Harris Fellow recognitions, usually of our members who demonstrate our Rotary’s motto “Service Above Self”, and also members of the community — including spouse and partners — who have demonstrated the Rotary spirit in the way they work and serve.