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JIM AND DEBBIE PETERSON NAMED PAUL HARRIS FELLOWS
THE PAUL HARRIS TFELLOW - BACKGROUND
his past Spring, Kalispell Daybreak Rotary Club presented Jim and Debbie Peterson of Valley Ford
with Rotary International’s distinguished Paul Harris Fellowship in recognition of their contributions and fundraising e orts for the Shepherd’s Hand Dental Clinic and other local Rotary philanthropic causes. “It was very humbling and an unexpected honor for both of us,” said Debbie lat-
er. “We cherish our involvement in the Flathead Valley with raising funds for local schools and community needs and certainly did not expect any award for it. We’re very grateful.”
e Paul Harris Fellowship is named for the founder of Rotary International, an organization that brings together business and community leaders to do service work and create positive change in communities around the world. e Paul Harris Fellow- ship was established in 1957 to honor both Rotary members and non-Rotarians who meet high professional and personal stan- dards set forth by Rotary founder Harris, and who contribute nancially to further advance Rotary service programs.
Among many other initiatives, Rotary Foundation programs provide educational opportunities, food, potable water, health care, immunizations and shelter for millions of persons globally. Notable Paul Harris Fellows include Mother Teresa, U.S. Presi- dent Jimmy Carter, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, U.S. astronaut James Lovell, UN Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar, and polio vaccine developer Jonas Salk.
e Fellowship is not o en presented to non-Rotarians, like Jim and Debbie Peterson. However, the Kalispell Daybreak Rotary Club made the special award based on Jim and Debbie Peterson’s extensive fundraising e orts for the community through the Ford “Drive One 4 UR Community/School” program, which has raised over $130,000 for Flathead Valley schools and education pro- grams, and the Shepherd’s Hand Dental Clinic. e Shepherd’s Hand Dental Clinic provides free and reduced cost dental care to low-income Flathead Valley residents.
At the presentation, Alan Ruby, President of Daybreak Rotary Club, thanked the Petersons for their dedication and commitment to the community, and their contributions and involvement with Rotary service work throughout the Flathead Valley.
Pictured below left to right: The dentist who heads the Shepherd’s Hand Dental Clinic, Dr. David Keim, Jim and Debbie Peterson, Jeannie Luckey and current President, Alan Ruby.
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JUNE 8, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM