PDG Penny Offer and PDG Chris Offer honoured by The Rotary Foundation at first ever Canada - Arch Klumph Society
 

PDGs Penny and Chris Offer, from District 5040 , one of five Canadian couples, who generously supported The Rotary Foundation, were inducted into the Arch C. Klumph Society during a Canada Day ceremony 25 October in Evanston, IL. The society honors those who give at least US$250,000 to the Foundation.

Past RI President and Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Wilf Wilkinson said, “This is a very proud day for Canadian Rotarians, and I am thrilled to be a part of it,” said Wilkinson. “It is our honor to recognize our inductees’ service and to gather as one, the family of Rotary, to applaud their efforts.”

General Secretary John Hewko added, “Rotary has had a strong presence in Canada since its earliest days, and I am so pleased that we have the chance to gather today to recognize some Canadians who have done remarkable work in the name of our Rotary Foundation.”

 

PDG Penny Offer, a member of the RC of Ladner has been a Rotary volunteer in the Philippines and in China. She served as District 5040 Governor (2010-11). Penny chaired the recent Rotary Institute held at the Westin Bayshore that brought 420 District leaders and RI President Sakuji Tanaka to Vancouver. She is currently serving as an Assistant Rotary Coordinator for districts in Western Canada, Alaska and Russia. In 2013-12 she has been appointed a Rotary Regional Public Image Coordinator for Zone 24 West.

PDG Chris Offer, served governor of District 5040 (1999-2000), chair of the RI Membership Committee (2006-07) and Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator (2008-11). He has served on a variety of zone and RI committees. Most recently he has represented Rotary in South Sudan and Sudan.

At the ceremony RI President Elect Ron Burton asked to introduce his friends Penny and Chris. He talked about working with them as part of the training team at the International Assembly and their commitment and dedication to The Rotary Foundation.

Chris recalled how he first learned about Rotary in 1981 as a patrol sergeant in the Vancouver Police and signed up for a Group Study Exchange. “What I did not do was read the small print on the application that said this was a lifetime commitment. Going on this GSE team to India was truly life-changing.”

He described the team’s visit to a Foundation-funded eye clinic that performed free cataract surgeries. The patients kept thanking the team because they represented Rotary, which had given them their sight.

Penny said, “Chris and I have had many opportunities to see how our Foundation changes lives . . . This is why The Rotary Foundation is our charity of choice.”

The Offers support the Foundation through the Penny and Chris Offer Fund for Peace and Conflict Resolution as part of the Rotary Peace Centers.

To read full story on RI website click HERE

Image   Image
 Image  Image