MOSSEL BAY NEWS - At an elegant ceremony on 22 January, the prestigious Rotary Paul Harris award for selfless service to the community was handed to representatives of each of the Garden Route SPCA (GR SPCA), the George Fire Department and the Garden Route District Municipality firefighters.
This was for their exemplary efforts in battling the fires and taking care of animals during the widespread fires in the George area that began in October 2018.
George Rotary president Frances Feig opened the proceedings and said she was delighted that the heads of all of the nominated award winners wanted the award to be bestowed on every staff member in their organisation and not just to the people on the front lines.
“After the devastating fires in the Southern Cape last year, it was decided to reward a few individuals that had done something really special. We approached the two fire departments, Garden Route and George and the SPCA.
"In all three cases we were informed that nominating individuals was not in any way possible as everyone, including the administration staff, had done their bit, and walked the extra mile to fight this devastating catastrophe,” said the summary of the event, which Rotary posted on its website.
After the audience was treated to presentations by representatives of the fire departments and the GR SPCA, Feig and the club’s vocational services director, Phoebus Minkner, handed over the certificates. "This award should be displayed with pride and honour," Feig said in her address.
Rotary International is the only organisation of its kind that acknowledges vocational excellence. It has active projects throughout the year that exemplify its mission to better society through friendship in business and uplifting the youth.
The GR SPCA comprises two branches - one in Mossel Bay and one in George.
"The GR SPCA is honoured to have been given this award," said management committee chair Wendy Jones."Thank you, Rotary, for recognising the bravery and determination of our staff who entered areas under threat from the numerous fires and again after fires that had been extinguished.
"They put their lives in danger on many occasions, refusing to stop looking for animals that were in danger or had been injured, trapped or left without a natural food source after the fires.
"These people make a formidable team and every staff member was fully involved, from the excellent co-ordination by general manager Frieda Jansen van Rensburg to the inspectorate, animal carers, administration staff, theatre and clinic staff, education unit members and reception staff.
"The committee is extremely proud of them all," Jones concluded.
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