ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — The Robertsdale Rotary Club handed out awards and announced officers for the coming year Thursday, June 22 at the club’s annual meeting held at St. Patrick’s Center in Robertsdale.

Bryan Chandler of United Bank, who served as president for the club in 2015-16, was awarded the Rotarian of the Year Award for 2016-17; Paul Harris Fellow Awards went to club members Margaret Cooper, Foundation Board President Doug Byrd and 2016-17 President Carl Davis. A Paul Harris Fellow Award was also presented to Donna Harper.

Rotarian of the Year is voted on by the members of the club. Chandler also served on the Board of Directors for 2016-17 as past president and was received a Perfect Attendance award.

According to rotary.org, the Paul Harris Fellow is named after the club’s founder and is given to “individuals who meet high professional and personal standards set for by Paul Harris.”

A $1,000 donation is given by the Robertsdale Rotary Club in the name of each individual. Paul Harris Fellow awards are also given to individuals who have contributed more than $1,000 to the Annual Program Fund, the Polio Plus Fund or the Humanitarian Grants Program of the Rotary Foundation.

A Paul Harris Fellow receives a special certificate and a gold pin. At the discretion of the Fellow’s club, the Fellow may also receive a gold medallion on a blue-and-gold ribbon.

A total of 12 Rotary Club members received recognition for perfect attendance in 2016-17. They are Linda Buck, Phillip Bell, Bryan Chandler, Margaret Cooper, Carl Davis, Monica Gramling, Erin Kinney, Sylvia Mattingly, Joshua Mims, Charles Murphy, John Underwood and Dennis Young.

Officers for 2016-17 were also recognized. Mims, who served as vice president for 2016-17, will serve as president for 2017-18. Jeff Plato will serve as vice president for 2017-18 and will serve as incoming president for 2018-19.

Additional officers are Jamie Hardy, treasurer; Chad Thomas, sergeant-at-arms; Sylvia Mattingly, program chair; along with Board members Carl Davis, past president; Erin Kinney, Linda Buck, Dennis Young, Howard Harper and Meghan Larson.

Founded in 1948, the Robertsdale Rotary Club is a member of Rotary International which boasts more than 1.2 million members in 34,000 clubs worldwide and operates by the credo of “Service above self,” and under the motto of the 4-way test, “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? And Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”

Locally the club meets at noon every Tuesday at Mama Lou’s Restaurant on Pine Street in Robertsdale.

For the 35th year in 2016 the Rotary Club hosted Doc Cooper’s Hot Trot for ARC, presented by LuLu’s, which raised more than $9,000 for the organization; and for the 18th year, the PCA Championship Rodeo at the Baldwin County Coliseum Fairgrounds Arena.

Through the Robertsdale Rotary Foundation, the club donated more than $41,000 in scholarships, schools and charity organizations in 2016-17.

The group presented scholarships totaling $2,500 to one graduating senior from Robertsdale High School and a graduating senior from the South Baldwin Center for Technology and presented two grants totaling $2,350 to Silverhill Elementary School and Elsanor Elementary School.

The group also raised $2,000 for the William F. Green Veterans Home with a pair of fundraisers in October, a booth at the annual Honeybee Festival in Robertsdale; and hosted the annual Doc Cooper’s Haunted Swamp, a free event where donations were accepted.

Others receiving donations included Women’s Care Medical Center, Landstuhl Fisher House, Germany; and Catholic Social Services Project Reach.

For more information visit robertsdalerotary.com or the Robertsdale Rotary Club page on Facebook.