Rotary Club honors students, others for exemplifying ‘service above self ’

MIDDLETOWN — The Rotary Club of Middletown announces the recipients of its annual scholarship and service awards for 2020.

Each year, the organization presents scholarships to area high school students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and exemplify “service above self,” the motto and core mission of Rotary, according to a press release.

The Rotary also recognized two individuals for their dedication to community service with Paul Harris Service Awards. Harris was the founder of Rotary, which is recognized internationally as one of the world’s leading service organizations, the release said.

This year’s scholarship and award recipients would normally be honored at the Rotary Club of Middletown’s annual Paul Harris dinner and awards ceremony, originally scheduled for early May at Middlesex Community College. Due to restrictions on gatherings prompted by COVID-19, the event was canceled, but recipients were honored at a recent weekly club meeting on Zoom.

This year’s scholarship recipients are: Lynna Vo, a 2020 graduate of Coginchaug Regional High School (attending the University of Connecticut in the fall); Sean P. Kelly, a 2020 graduate of Xavier High School (attending New York University in the fall); and John F. “Jack” Weinheimer, a 2020 graduate of Xavier High School (attending Mount St. Mary’s University in the fall).

Lynna Vo and Sean Kelly were awarded Rotary Club of Middletown scholarships, while Jack Weinheimer was the recipient of the Arthur and Edythe Director Family Rotary Education Award.

Each of the recipients excelled academically as members of their schools’ National Honor Society, and also received numerous other academic accolades. Further, each demonstrated outstanding service qualities to their schools in leadership roles of various organizations, and to the community at large through their many hours of service for organizations serving the needs of others, the news release said.

The two Harris award recipients are: Eric S. Rodko, a past president of Rotary Club of Middletown; and Chu Ngo, owner of Lan Chi’s Vietnamese Restaurant on Main Street in Middletown. Additionally,

the Rotarian of the Year Award was given to Steve Lovelace.

The club is a longstanding volunteer service organization that serves the needs of the citizens of the greater Middletown area. It sponsors local grants to area nonprofit organizations that benefit their local communities.

Members also assist area youth in developing leadership skills through the student of the month and scholarship programs, local youth Interact and Rotary Youth Leadership Awards programs, and the Rotary Youth Exchange program.

The club is a sponsor (along with Liberty Bank) of the annual turkey drive, which provides a complete Thanksgiving dinner to participating local individuals and families. The Rotary also sponsors food insecurity and literacy initiatives, clean water projects both at local and international levels, and polio eradication projects worldwide.

Rotary Club of Middletown meets weekly on Zoom. However, when conditions permit, the club’s weekly meetings (Tuesdays at noon) will resume at Fiore II Restaurant on Main Street.

For information, visit middletownrotary.org.

Contributed photo Middletown Rotary Club scholarship winner John Weisenheimer is shown with his mother, left, and club president Carmela Gagnon, right.