The Kent Sunrise Rotary Club recognized six people for their contributions and/or volunteer work in the community at its annual Harvest for the Community dinner auction Nov. 6 at the ShoWare Center.
The five Service Above Self award winners are:
Pat Ellis:
Ellis, a chaplain, acts as the crisis intervention coordinator with the Kent Police Department. Among the many ways he helps both residents and his police family, Pat started Cops With Cancer two years ago to make sure his late colleague’s dream to support fellow police officers fighting the disease became a reality. Officer Greg Duffin, 41, died in September 2007 after a six-year fight against kidney cancer. Under Ellis’ leadership, Cops With Cancer continues to grow and now offers both emotional and financial help to officers in Kent and surrounding areas.
Lance Goodwin:
Goodwin, a local realtor, has lived in the Kent area his entire life. Since joining the Kent Sunrise Rotary Club, Goodwin has worked on countless community projects. He is also on the board of Gift of Life, a world leader facilitating transplants for children and adults suffering from life-threatening diseases. In addition to his other community work, he chaired the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life in 2009 and 2010. The Kent Relay raised $430,000 for cancer services, research and care. Goodwin’s unselfish devotion to the success of this event was seen by all in the community.
Bill Westcott:
Westcott serves as a captain for Alaska Airlines, where he was on the committee that initiated the Aviation Merit Badge Clinic. He is an active board member for the Kent Covenant Church. As the chair for all of the activities and civic service projects hosted by the Kent Lions, Westcott has been the go-to man organizing Kent Cornucopia Days, Winterfest and the Kent Farmers Market events for years. He is the vice-chair of the Green River Boy Scout District and is an Eagle Scout with two sons, also both Eagle Scouts.
Marge and Harry Williams:
Marge and Harry are long-time Kent residents who have always been involved in the community. Harry has served as a Scout leader, President of the Kent Chamber of Commerce and is a business ethics instructor for Junior Achievement. Currently, he serves on the Administrative Oversight team at Kent Covenant Church and on the Strategic Steering Committee for the Kent School District.
Marge is the administrative assistant at the Kent Chamber of Commerce. With 15 years of nutrition training, she is passionate about wellness coaching and teaching classes on the topic. Marge is also a founding member of the Mayor Suzette Cooke’s Kent4Health coalition. Together, they have given 54 years of service to two Kent Rotary Clubs.
Sara Wood:
Wood is a public education specialist with the Kent Police. In this role, she helps teach people how to prevent crime rather than arrest people for committing crimes. She accomplished this by organizing events like Kent’s National Night Out. Last year Kent place third nationally for a city of its size, and this was due to Sarah’s enthusiasm, positive attitude and superb organization skills. This year, with Kent in a new population category, Wood pulled out all of the stops and managed to organize and execute more than 100 neighborhood events. She organized the first Community Pride Day Graffiti Paint-out and the event was so popular it now takes place three times a year. Wood also is involved in the Kentwood Cares for Kent community service project for high school juniors.
The auction dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $65 and include a champagne toast and entrée choices, accompanied by complimentary wine. Tables will compete for the best of elegant desserts.
Tickets can be purchased at the door. For more information, call Marianna Stephens at 253-631-9609.
Kent Youth & Family’s mental health counseling program will receive money from the Fund-a-Cause auction item. A wine raffle and numerous live and silent auction items also are planned.
The Kent Sunrise Rotary Club is part of Rotary International, a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace worldwide. There are about 1.2 million club members in more than 32,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas.
The club’s motto is “Service Above Self.” Weekly breakfast programs with local and visiting speakers offer education, fellowship and fun.
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