ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — The Robertsdale Rotary Club handed out awards and announced officers for the coming year Thursday, June 28 at the club’s annual meeting held at George P. Thames Adult Activity Center in Robertsdale.

Linda Buck of Bryant Bank, who served as president for the club in 2012-13, was awarded the Rotarian of the Year Award for 2017-18; Paul Harris Fellow Awards went to club members Jamie Hardy, Howard Harper and Carl Davis. A Paul Harris Fellow Award was also presented to the Rev. Jeff Copeland, senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Robertsdale.

Rotarian of the Year is voted on by the members of the club. Buck also served on the Board of Directors for 2017-18 and received a Perfect Attendance award.

According to rotary.org, the Paul Harris Fellow is named after the club’s founder and is given to “individuals who meet high professional and personal standards set for by Paul Harris.”

A $1,000 donation is given by the Robertsdale Rotary Club in the name of each individual. Paul Harris Fellow awards are also given to individuals who have contributed more than $1,000 to the Annual Program Fund, the Polio Plus Fund or the Humanitarian Grants Program of the Rotary Foundation.

A Paul Harris Fellow receives a special certificate and a gold pin. At the discretion of the Fellow’s club, the Fellow may also receive a gold medallion on a blue-and-gold ribbon.

A total of 12 Rotary Club members received recognition for perfect attendance in 2017-18. They are Jamie Hardy, Doug Byrd, Linda Buck, Aaron Beam, Phillip Bell, Margaret Cooper, Carl Davis, Erin Kinney, Sylvia Mattingly, Gail Quesada, John Underwood and Joshua Mims.

Officers for 2017-18 were also recognized. Jeff Plato, who served as vice president for 2017-18, will serve as president for 2018-19. Cheryl Russell will serve as vice president for 2018-19 and will serve as incoming president for 2019-20.

Additional officers are Jamie Hardy, treasurer; Chad Thomas, sergeant-at-arms; Margaret Cooper, executive secretary; Sylvia Mattingly, program chair; along with Board members Joshua Mims, past president; Erin Kinney, Linda Buck, Dennis Young and Howard Harper.

Founded in 1948, the Robertsdale Rotary Club is a member of Rotary International which boasts more than 1.2 million members in more than 35,000 clubs worldwide and operates by the credo of “Service above self,” and under the motto of the 4-way test, “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? And Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”

Locally the club meets at noon every Tuesday at Mama Lou’s Restaurant on Pine Street in Robertsdale.

For the 37th year in 2018 the Rotary Club hosted Doc Cooper’s Hot Trot for ARC, presented by LuLu’s, which raised almost $9,000 for the organization; and for the 19th year, the PCA Championship Rodeo at the Baldwin County Coliseum Fairgrounds Arena.

Through the Robertsdale Rotary Foundation, the club has donated money for local scholarships, schools and charity organizations, including the William F. Green Veterans Home, Women’s Care Medical Center, Habitat for Humanity, Catholic Social Services Project Reach, Central Baldwin Educational Foundation, Miracle League of Coastal Alabama, Maji Hope.

In addition, the Rotary Club awarded five scholarships of $1,250 each, donated to the Silverhill Elementary School Jingle Jog, the Robertsdale High School football, basketball and baseball teams; RHS NJROTC; Alabama’s Boys State Camp, the Silverhill Police Department’s K-9 Unit and the Rotary District 6880 Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.

For more information visit robertsdalerotary.com or the Robertsdale Rotary Club page on Facebook.