Rotary Club of Rosebank presents Vocational Service Awards

At a function held at the Wanders Club on February 27th, the Rotary Club of Rosebank presented Vocational Service Awards to five people in recognition of the personal contribution they had made over many years to vulnerable and less-fortunate members of the community.

Recipients of the awards or 2016 were:

• Chibby Clacey, for the work she has done in promoting preschool education and, in particular, for establishing a preschool in a very rural community near Rosendal in the Free State;
• Jean Warburton, a retired school teacher, for her volunteer vocational guidance and welfare programmes to assist underprivileged children and their families;
• Dr Brooke Puttergil, for her work in establishing the Champs Organisation which provides a support network for paediatric amputees and their families. The major beneficiaries of these services are people without the financial means to fund the fitting of prosthesis.
• Dr Pierre Vercueil, for providing pro bono ophthalmology surgery and care to children from disadvantaged communities thereby giving them the gift of sight;
• Penny Metcalfe, a speech and hearing therapist for her volunteer work over many years in giving assistance to young children from disadvantaged communities. Penny developed unique methods for helping those with impaired speech to communicate effectively.
• The awards were presented by Dr Neville Howes, president of the Rotary Club of Rosebank. “It is so important to give recognition to people who make a difference to South African society who would normally not be recognised. These five people have made outstanding contributions and we are proud to be associated with them,” he said.

Details: Hugh Rix 082 353 9616.