Since 1962 the Rotary Club of Richmond has been a gift to the local and international community.  

Every club needs pillars of strength, people upon whom club members can depend for diligent service, vision and leadership.  Tony, Helge and Chuck were those pillars of strength.  Over 50 years, the City of Richmond as received as gifts, picnic tables in their parks, vehicles for service personnel, scholarships for high schools, hampers at Christmas, furniture to renovate homes for wayward boys, sponsored children to summer camps, support for Junior Achievement.....well the list goes on and on.

When the Richmond Hospital needed financial support, they were there, many times over.

 

When international exchange students needed hosting, they opened their homes and hearts, for many years.

Their signature however is most recognized as the inception and completion of the Rotary Hospice House.  For years and years, this club led by Tony, Helge and Chuck along with many Presidents and other fine Rotarians, dedicated the bulk of fundraising efforts to come up with over half a million dollars as our Club's commitment to the Rotary Hospice House.

That meant many golf tournaments, many reverse draw dinners and more dinners, and ticket sales and fines and reaching into their own jeans doing whatever they could to see the project to completion in 2005.

Each of them have served as President, Tony twice.  They have served many, many, many times over on the Board of Directors and as chairs of countless club projects.

The amount of financial aid and hands-on service hours by the Rotary Club of Richmond over 50 years is nothing short of amazing and inspiring.  The totals must amount into millions of dollars and thousands of hours.  This Club, the Rotary Club of Richmond is indeed a legacy of service and most certainly a gift to our community.

And we owe our legacy to our Club members along the way, led by our Honorary Members we are acknowledging today.  For your diligence over many years of service to the Rotary Club of Richmond, we gratefully wish to honor Tony Yurkovich, Helge Nielsen and Chuck Albert.

District Governor Ken Wilson along with Club President Keith presented each with a Honorary Member Certificate to mark the occasion in front of many friends and visiting Rotarians.