Congratulations to PDG Chris Offer for receiving The Rotary Foundation's highest award. The Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award  
 

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PDG Bob Blacker presented the award to Chris at the recent District 5040 Foundation Dinner.

This award is an internationally competitive award granted annually to a maximum of 50 Rotarians who have exhibited exceptional active service to The Rotary Foundation.

This is the Foundation’s highest recognition of active service, which must reach beyond the district and last for an extended period. Rotarians become eligible for the award four years after receiving the Citation for Meritorious Service.  Chris received the Citation for Meritorious Service in 2003.

Chris served as the Governor of District 5040 in 1999-2000. He then served as a Rotary Membership Coordinator for Zone 22 and served in 2006-07 as the Chair of the RI Membership Development and Retention Committee. He served as a Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator for three years in Zone 24 working with districts in western Canada, Alaska, Washington and Russia. He also served on the PolioPlus fundraising zone committee in the zone.

In 1981 Chris was introduced to Rotary as a member of a Group Study Exchange Team to India and in 1993 he led a team to the UK.

Chris has served as a Rotary volunteer in the Philippines, Russia, China and Sudan. His trips to Sudan in 2011 and 2012 were to represent The Rotary Foundation with the WHO (World Health Organization) on an evaluation of polio vaccination initiatives.

Chris was appointed this month by Past RI President and Foundation Trustee Chair Wilf Wilkinson as the Canadian representative on the Rotary Peace Centers Major Gifts Initiative Committee.

Chris is the fourth Rotarian in District 5040 to receive this prestigious award. Past recipients are:

  • Alfred Cheshire, Rotary Club of Vancouver South in 1997
  • Irwin Stewart, Rotary Club of New Westminster in 2003

  • Leigh Higinbotham, Rotary Club of  Vancouver Arbutus in 2009

 

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