District 7780
WAGNER RECEIVES SERVICE ABOVE SELF AWARD
At District 7780's World Understanding and Peace Dinner held at the Portland Sheraton at Sable Oaks, Rotarian Tony Wagner of the South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club was presented with Rotary International's Service Above Self Award. The following is the speech which was given by Past District Governor, John LoBosco . . .
The Service Above Self Award is one of the most prestigious awards in Rotary. Rotary International’s Board of Directors recognizes no more than 150 individuals (out of over 1.2 million Rotarians) to receive this award each year. Nominees must have demonstrated exemplary continuing humanitarian service.
The contributions to the betterment of mankind that our award recipients have made are awe-inspiring. What incredible leadership they have shown; what an example they have set; and what a legacy they have left….
I want to thank our District Governor for nominating a very special person in our district this year – the first Service Above Self recipient we have had in our district in several years.
I have often described this Rotarians as a Rotarian’s Rotarian. He has been a Rotarian for almost 40 years. Last year we honored him as one of the co-Rotarians of the year in our district. This year, I suppose you can say he went from the “All-District” team to “All-World!”
Our Service Above Self Award recipient has helped clubs in every corner of our district with their long-term planning. He was persistent in maintaining enthusiasm and getting clubs involved in the Westbrook-Gorham club’s water project in Guatemala, even when it appeared a grant wasn’t going to come through – and he returned at 10 p.m. last night from an 8-day service project in Guatemala.
He is constantly working to ensure we have enough hands to help the Saco Bay Sunset Club and others from throughout the district wrap and load crutches and other mobility devices en route to Africa where each pair will change a life.
He is the guy climbing around in the trees in Mill Creek Park around Christmas time to get the lights ready for the South Portland – Cape Elizabeth tree sale.
There is a skating shelter in that park, a Children’s Garden that was started with Rotary contributions in Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth, and a skating rink at Wainwright Fields in South Portland because he was instrumental in forming partnerships between our business community, our municipalities and our Rotarians. And he is helping our Portsmouth Rotarians with development of a process to choose a gift to honor that city’s 400th anniversary. And he has done and is doing so much more.
Our District Governor, in nominating our recipient, described him as a “high energy, positive, inspiring leader who unselfishly devotes himself to Rotary…[he] is as comfortable coaching District Governors as he is coaching brand new members. [He] is ‘driven’ to motivate and inspire all Rotarians to be the best they can be. [He] relentlessly works for the betterment of others, both locally and internationally.”
Our Governor described our recipient’s strength as “his ability to communicate his passion and excitement to others, thereby constantly growing our Rotary team and increasing the good work we do.”
When I was a relatively new Rotarian, and he was the incoming President of my club, our recipient asked me to serve on his Board. I learned a lot about Rotary and about service in working with him. I know I stayed in Rotary because he got me involved – and he continues his efforts to engage new Rotarians to this day.
When I became Governor last year, I asked him to stay on as Senior Assistant Governor, serving a 4th term. He agreed to serve, but he puts service above accolades or titles and avoided being referred to as the Senior AG. That is the kind of guy he is.
This award is not intended to recognize someone’s performance in an elected or appointed Rotary assignment, and financial contributions to The Rotary Foundation or specific projects are not considered. Although financial contributions are not considered, I can tell you that our recipient and his late wife were, among other things, major donors to The Rotary Foundation; and I’m pretty sure he has recognized every member of his family as a Paul Harris Fellow.
Our award recipient believes in Rotary and the power of Rotary to change lives and better the world we live in and he believes in you and in the work that you do.
On behalf of the Directors of Rotary International, on behalf of our past recipients and past Governors, and on behalf of our District Governor and leadership team, please join me in recognizing our most recent Service Above Self recipient – Anton “Tony” Wagner!!! Congratulations, Tony!!!