Al Guilin honored with Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship Award

February 09, 2001
Santa Paula News

One of the highest honors you can receive as a member of the Rotary Club is a being awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship: and due to his activism on behalf o the community, Santa Paula Rotarian Al Guilin was honored with the prestigious award at a recent meeting.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesOne of the highest honors you can receive as a member of the Rotary Club is a being awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship: and due to his activism on behalf o the community, Santa Paula Rotarian Al Guilin was honored with the prestigious award at a recent meeting.The award came on the heels of Guilin contributing about $1,000 to the Rotary Club’s Habitat for Humanity project and the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Paula.“Each Paul Harris award represents a significant donation, $1,000, to the Rotary Foundation,” said Past President Nils Rueckert. “We are pleased to bestow this honor on one of our members through the generosity of this club’s contributions.”Guilin is a club Past President and Rotarian of the Year. A 30-year member who joined five years after becoming a part of the Limoneira Co. team, where he served in executive positions until his retirement several years ago, Guilin is now an agribusiness consultant.
“Al has long been active in raising funds for the Rotary High School Scholarship program,” including selling oranges to his fellow Rotarians at Christmas and setting up what was called the Lemon Tree Run, noted Rueckert.“Al was instrumental in starting our Scholarship Fund some 20 years ago, which has grown to the phenomenal sum of $137,000.”Guilin, a Cal Poly Pomona Distinguished Alumnus, has been very active in ag organizations, St. Sebastian Church, and other community undertakings. Currently the Vice Chairman of the Santa Paula Memorial Hospital Board of Directors, Guilin will soon be ordained as a deacon in the Los Angeles Archdiocese.“I really want to thank Al for supporting Rotary, and the community, so much over the years,” said Rotary President Dr. Bill Brand.“It’s a remarkable honor,” said Guilin, who was accompanied to the meeting by his wife, Joanne. Guilin told of running into the first Rotary Scholarship recipient. “I’m thrilled the club has helped her and many others. . .all of you should be thanked for that.”The Rotary Foundation - the charitable, educational and community service arm of Rotary International - has created an endowment that funds Polio Plus, the Ambassadorial Scholarship Program and the Health, Hunger and Humanity programs. “The latter provides matching grants that have enabled the Santa Paula club to complete projects such as the Poza Rica dental clinic and the Honduras school improvement projects,” said Rueckert, and provided the “noble purpose” for the trips of Carol Burhoe and Arnie Dowdy for polio immunizations in India.



Site Search

E-Subscribe

Subscribe

E-SUBSCRIBE
Call 805 525 1890 to receive the entire paper early. $50.00 for one year.

webmaster