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Trinity Rotary Marks A Busy 10 years

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By Carl  Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: July 1, 2008

TRINITY -- The 10th anniversary of Rotary Club of Trinity will be a year to remember.

The group reflected on a busy year during the installation banquet of new officers Saturday night. Tim Sherrell succeeded Carol L. Kinnard as president of the club. The group also named its Rotarian of the Year, two Paul Harris fellowship winners and other honors.

Trinity Rotary reaped three major awards in recent months.

West Pasco Chamber of Commerce picked the club as its Outstanding Service Club of the Year.

Then the Trinity clan collected the District Club of the Year Award for midsize clubs in the four-county region from Crystal River to St. Petersburg. None other than District Governor Tim Schuler presented the honor.

Several months ago the club received the Presidential Citation Award from Rotary International President Wilfred J. "Wilf" Wilkinson.

"We are so full of young and up and coming business professionals," Kinnard said in a phone interview as outgoing president. She hopes to see the club's ranks grow beyond the current 62 members.

Kinnard was suffering from a bit of travel fatigue after returning from a trip to a Rotary International conference in Los Angeles, but at the same time was elated with a "feeling of being part of something great."

Many accomplishments

The mission of Trinity Rotary focuses on raising funds for projects to help area children.

During the past year, the group helped provide a Radio Disney program at three West Pasco elementary schools in conjunction with the Pasco Education Foundation. The club had received a matching grant from the Rotary district to make the events happen.

The Trinity group helped provide funding to the Gills Family YMCA for a program to combat childhood obesity. Trinity Rotary was awarded a Blue Cross Blue Shield grant through the district in conjunction with the Rotary Clubs of New Port Richey and Seven Springs on that project.

The first annual Trinity Rotary Fishing Tournament raised thousands of dollars for the Angelus, a home for disabled persons.

The group provided baskets and distributed books for the Laundromat Literacy Project, also known as Books in Baskets, at area coin-operated laundries.

Two scholarships from the club went to graduating seniors from the PACE Center for Girls and J.W. Mitchell High School for their spirit of volunteerism, good grades, and community involvement.

The group provided stairs for children to access Rosie, a therapy horse owned by the Boudreau family.

Members participated closely with the Genesis High School Interact club to assist with the Salvation Army soup kitchen.

Many members also assisted the Youth and Family Alternatives' RAP house through the recent RAP River Run fundraiser.

To raise money for programs, Trinity Rotary conducted Caribe Fest, the club's major fundraising event which raised about $25,000.

The Trinity group teamed with Seven Springs and Keystone Rotary Clubs for a successful Art Auction.

Along the way members had fun, winning first place in the Progressive Air 2008 Chasco Boat Parade in the not-for-profit category for best decorated watercraft.

Trinity Rotary members helped play host to an exchange group from Turin, Italy.

Beyond their own borders, the Trinity group assisted in raising about $4,600 in the Polio Plus Challenge to eradicate the disease.

Trinity Rotary was well represented at the districtwide Habitat for Humanity Challenge in Clearwater.

The local group helped fund a science lab for a school in Nigeria, as well as donating toward a water filtration system for a school in Haiti through Pure Water for the World.

Surprise awards

Trinity Rotary members were surprised with special awards at the banquet, Kinnard reported.

Rotarian of the Year is Kathryn "Kat" Sille, for her personal commitment to the club and to all things Rotary. She never says "no," Kinnard remarked.

Paul Harris Fellowship Awards went to Joe Cash and Angelo Rossello.

Cash was cited for his personal commitment to the Boudreau family when he redesigned their only bathroom to accommodate Alex Boudreau's wheelchair. He spent his own money on the project.

Rossello earned the award for his numerous years of service on the Rotary Club of Trinity's board of directors.

The Service Above Self Award went to Jo Cooke for her participation in a Habitat for Humanity project.

Two people got Rookie of the Year honors. Doug Bumgarner was saluted for his personal commitment to Polio Plus. Carol Pressman was honored for her participation at RAP River Run.

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