Paul Harris Awards Recognize Local Volunteers Who Serve Our Community

As Craig Ditman of the Rotary Club of Upper Kittitas County explained the history behind the Paul Harris Award, he summed up last Thursday night’s third-annual banquet in one word: “others”.

Rotary is “Service Above Self” and the two adults and two youths selected demonstrated this quality through their service of others. Sena Lanphere, Dave Sandona, Jaxon Hayes, and Norah Nicholls were selected from the numerous outstanding nominations received this year.

Rotary 5060 District Governor Tom Tochterman spoke about what the Rotary International Foundation has accomplished around the world, to include the decades long mission of eradicating polio, providing clean drinking water in developing countries, and encouraging schools and educational opportunities for youth.

Paul Harris was a Chicago businessman who founded Rotary with three business associates in 1905; it was called “Rotary” because the weekly meetings rotated between offices.  As the club outgrew office meetings, it evolved into larger public spaces which usually included a meal.

Today there are over 1.2 million Rotarians around the world, and clubs can be found in every corner of the globe.  Rotarians work hard to serve not only their local community, but also across borders through projects and grants, all supported by the Rotary International Foundation.

The Paul Harris Award was coined by the foundation in 1957 to recognize the outstanding contributions of Rotarians and members of the community.  This year’s four Upper County awardees received a certificate and pin to join the ranks of Paul Harris Fellows around the world.

Sena Lanphere was the first to be recognized before she became too shy and slipped out the door.  Through the coaxing of friends, family, and a presentation by Rotarian Gary Berndt, the reluctant recipient was heralded for her always-behind-the-scenes uber volunteerism, to include pretty much every board or position possible in all the school and community events over the years.   

From Pioneer Days to Warrior Boosters, Sena was called out for being the first person to step up and help. She is known to always take care of others, to include volunteering in her granddaughter’s class, baking potatoes for the concession stand, decorating the hallways, and even offering to pick up groceries for those in need.  

Sena’s donations of work, funds, and hands paired with her infectious smile- whenever and wherever needed- was noted across the five nominations she received for this award.

Dave Sandona, a recently retired businessman, was praised for his years of unwavering support for local charities and events as impromptu emcee and auctioneer, as well as one of the 14 original charter members of the Rotary Club of Upper Kittitas County.  This included behind-the-scenes donations of time, materials, storage, transportation, and products, plus lending his golden voice to so many fundraisers in Upper County, including Warrior Boosters, Swauk-Teanaway Grange, Rotary Golf Tournaments, Pioneer Days, Kiwanis, and the Sons of Italy just to name a few.

Dave was even noted for loaning one of his company’s beer trucks to the local Boy Scouts when they needed transportation, which certainly must have sounded more solacious than it was; he also delivered pallets of Anheuser-Busch branded canned water to our local fire agencies during wildfire season.

A natural with a microphone, Dave was later pressed into service to auction a bottle of wine to help support the $100,000 plus in annual scholarships the UKC Rotary Club awards to local graduates.

Speaking of graduates, high school senior Jaxon Hayes was regarded for his leadership at school and in the community, to include National Honor Society president, ASB secretary, girls’ soccer team manager, and captain of the cross-country team.  

Jaxon also served as a local Young Life director and has spent hundreds of hours volunteering as a camp counselor to middle school students, scoring at local basketball tournaments, serving on interview panels, and helping in the booster concession stand. A warrior booster noted they are always in need of youthful help, and Jaxon was one of the first kids to show up, never complained, and did a thorough job on whatever task or project at hand.

Jaxon’s contribution to changing the world involved co-chartering the new “Warrior Council” to provide a voice for all students in the school; perhaps someday he will even outpace Gary Berndt’s political acumen.

Norah Nicholls, also a senior at Cle Elum-Roslyn, continued her family’s tradition of service to others as the executive vice president and senior class president of the ASB, student representative to the school board, member of Key Club and Honor Society, as well as being an accomplished musician. 

Norah now joins her mother, Claire, who is a past recipient of a Paul Harris Award.  

Norah is flute section leader in the marching band, pep band, and concert band, while also serving as the team captain of both her soccer and golf teams.  She resurrected the Interact Club which brings Rotary to high school age youth and currently serves as the past president.

In what little spare time remaining, Norah founded the annual pet supply drive to benefit our furry four-legged friends at ARRF.

Club President Tessa Henrichsen rounded out the evening by presenting the first-ever “Legacy of Service Award” to the family of the late Ben Goldie, who like Sandona, was a charter member of the club.

Goldie exemplified unwavering service to his community, including being a long-term city councilman; instrumental in creating Flagpole Park and the Senior Center; and even plowing winter snow on the east end of town, just to help.

Although this Rotarian has passed, Goldie’s legacy of dedication to others lives on through his years of Service Above Self.