THUNDER BAY – At the Rotary Anniversary Dinner, held on February 22nd at the Italian Cultural Centre, Port Arthur Rotary Club designated three non-Rotarians as Honorary Paul Harris Fellows. According to Port Arthur Rotary President Warren Philp, “This is the way the club is expressing its appreciation for a substantial contribution to it humanitarian and educational programs. The Fellowship is named after Paul Harris, Chicago Lawyer, who started, with three business associates Rotary International in 1905. Programs of Rotary include an array of projects that save and enrich the lives of people in our community, in our country and around the world and that enhance international friendship and understanding,” continued Philp.
Added Port Arthur Rotary Foundation Chair Dr. Jaro Kotalik, “1.2 million Rotarians worldwide and their supporters provide educational opportunities, potable water, food, immunization, health care and shelter for millions of people. Honorary Paul Harris Fellows are people who demonstrated a shared purpose with the objectives and mission of the Rotary International.” Kotalik went on to state, “the three people whom Port Arthur Rotary selected for this award from a long list of worthy candidates were Jerome Harvey, Fin Sellick and Burt Sellick, each of them a long term volunteer in a particular field of service.”
Dr. Jerome Harvey was a medical missionary in Nigeria and family physician in Nipigon and Thunder Bay. When he retired, he founded an organization called Medical Equipment Modernization Opportunity (MEMO). Under his leadership as volunteer CEO for 15 years, MEMO has shipped 82 ocean containers of medical equipment to appreciative collaborators in Cuba, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Liberia, Zimbabwe and Siera Leone, making a huge impact on quality of health care in these countries.
Mrs. Fin Sellick was given the award because of an exceptionally long commitment to health care in the city. She served as a volunteer first at Port Arthur General Hospital and later at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Center, providing services to patients 2-3 days per week for over 60 years. She volunteered for a number of other organizations, such as being a charter member of the board of Telehealth Thunder Bay (a crisis line service) for 25 years.
Her husband, Dr. Burt Sellick was a Co-Founder of Telecare Thunder Bay and its Director for 25 years. He also served as a Director for Northwestern Ontario Student Leadership Conference for 20 years. In addition, he served for many years as a volunteer in an alcohol and drug education program, Board member for Hospice Northwest for 21 years, President of Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, presenter of many parenting seminars across the region and volunteer inpatient services of Thunder Bay hospitals. Port Arthur Rotary club congratulates the new Honorary Paul Harris Fellows and thanks them for their commitment to the common good.
Submitted by Warren Philp and Jaro Kotalik, Port Arthur Rotary.
For more information about Port Arthur Rotary, please contact Warren Philp, President, at 632-3998 or go to www.parotary.com or facebook.com/parotary
