At our Thursday Rotary Club Celebration at the Warwick Hotel on June 24, 2021, Club Rotarians came together for our annual Continuation of Leadership celebration with President Debbie Beasley and to ring in the new year with incoming President Campbell! As has been our tradition, we honored our Rotarians of the Year. Congratulations and Thank YOU Denver Rotarian’s for your many accomplishments and hard work this past Rotary year!
Harriet Downer ~ ROTARIAN OF THE YEAR 2020-2021
Harriet Downer is this year’s very deserving recipient of the Club 31’s Rotarian of the Year Award! Here is just a sampling of her strong and impressive contributions to Denver Rotary. Her participation covers all aspects of Rotary’s five avenues of service…
- Member for more than 14 years
- DRCF Silver Fellow
- DRCF Legacy Society Member
- TRF Paul Harris Fellow +4
- Club 2nd VP, 2008-10
- Club Board Director, 2008-11
- Club 1st VP, 2010-11
- DRCF Board Service:
- DRCF Trustee, 2015-21
- DRCF Secretary, 2015-17
- Grant Committee Member (2017 – 20)
- Chair, Colorado Gives Day
- Chair, Red Bucket
- Committee Involvement: Heavily involved with WCS Committee & Peach Sale for many years, Cherry Creek Trail Clean Up & various volunteer projects
- Served on the Club’s broadband project as one of our centennial projects
- Rotary Awards: New Rotarian of the Year (2006-07), WCS Continuing Service Award (2014 & 2015)
- District Visioning Chair, Past & Present
- Instructs work-out sessions at the District Conferences
- And, attends every District Conference
According to several of her nominators,
“This is my go-to Rotarian for historical knowledge with the Club since they have had their hands in pretty much everything since they joined!”
“She is involved in Rotary on every level: locally and internationally.”
“She has been heavily involved in the World Community Service committee, the District, and our Foundation…what hasn’t she done?”
“She was instrumental in working on the broadband project for our Club’s Centennial that was recently recognized in the Rotary magazine and has lead a strategic/vision for the club and foundation in the past.”
“Whenever I talk to anyone in the District, they immediately bring up this Rotarian. She is so involved with Rotary, beyond only our Club.”
Rotary’s mission is to do good in the world…a group of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Our Club is filled with some pretty special people…we are all honored and privileged to know such a Rotarian. Congratulations Harriet! You make us proud and we are blessed to have you as a member of Denver Rotary!
Kris Hemenway~ NEW ROTARIAN OF THE YEAR 2020-2021
This year Club 31 is pleased to honor Kris Hemenway as our New Rotarian of the Year for 2020-21!
According to several of his nominators,
“Very knowledgeable and has a lot to offer to Club 31!”
“It was a challenging year to join the Club in the middle of COVID, and even more challenging to meet people virtually, but she/he started volunteering right out of the gates!”
“Very excited to start engaging with this member more at in-person meetings!”
“They are always engaged in committee meetings, and you can tell they are already thinking of solutions.”
“Made a point to reach out to me, to see what their new leadership position entailed, which showed real initiative!”
In just the past year, Kris…
- Became a sustaining contributor of TRF and the Denver Rotary Club Foundation!
- Was a volunteer at our 2020 Peach Sale
- Routinely attended online Zoom meetings and until recently, was finally able to attend their first in-person meeting!
- Serves on the District’s Communication and PR committee
- Worked on a project to rebrand the Erie Rotary Club and prevent them from closing their charter.
- And get this…will be our Membership Recruitment Team Vice President in 2021 – 2022! “Taking on membership is a huge undertaking, and we are fortunate to have this Rotarian as our VP.”
After joining Rotary in June of 2020, Kris has already shown a major commitment to our Club and to Rotary’s mission. We are so fortunate to have such a committed and dedicated new Rotarian as a member of Club 31! Congratulations Kris! Thank you for making Club 31 your new Rotary home! We look forward to serving alongside you for many years to come!