The Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville has seen three of its members earn their next levels of Rotary International’s Paul Harris Fellow recognition.

The members and their levels are Tracy Bennett, who earned his second Paul Harris Fellow award; Dan Smith, who earned his third Paul Harris Fellow; and Sue Hammond, who earned her fifth Paul Parris Fellow.A Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) is a person who has been recognized as having done something significant for others.

The Rotary Foundation gives the Paul Harris Fellow honor for an initial contribution of $1,000 and for each $1,000 additional gift up to the Major Donor level of $10,000. The money is used for various global humanitarian efforts.

Paul Harris was the founder and organizer of the first Rotary Club in Chicago in 1905. In 1957, Paul Harris Fellow recognition was begun as a way to promote voluntary giving to The Rotary Foundation. An amount of $1,000 (the equivalent of over $9,000 today) was established as the contribution level in 1957. That amount has remained constant over the years.

Bennett, Smith and Hammond join the ranks of more than 1.5 million Paul Harris Fellows in the world. Each have earned their Paul Harris Fellow pin and certificate in past years. Their subsequent contributions to The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund, PolioPlus Fund or approved Foundation grants have added gemstones to their Paul Harris pins. They are named as multiple Paul Harris Fellows.

“We honor Rotarians Tracy Bennett, Dan Smith and Sue Hammond for their achievement in reaching the next level of the Paul Harris Fellow recognition,'” said James Berkhouse, Westfield-Mayville Rotary Club president. “Their ongoing support of The Rotary Foundation demonstrates their commitment to the many valuable Rotary programs which are designed to do good work in local communities and in the world. Our Rotary Club thanks them for all they do to support Rotary’s mission.”

Bennett joined the Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville in 2015. He currently is club treasurer, a role in which he has served for several years. Also, Bennett successfully co-chaired this organization’s inaugural Virtual Gold Rush fundraiser in 2020. He has been an active participant in many of this club’s service projects and other fundraisers.

Smith has been a Westfield-Mayville Rotarian since 1998. He served as club president for the 2001-02 term and has held various board and committee chair roles. Smith is club Youth Services Committee chair, a position which he has held for many years. Also, he is the Rotary District 7090 Vocational Training Team chair this year and for numerous years in the past. In 2020, he successfully co-chaired with Bennett the Westfield-Mayville Rotary Club’s inaugural Virtual Gold Rush. An active member, Smith has participated in this club’s numerous service projects and fundraisers.

Hammond, who joined the Westfield-Mayville Rotary Club in 2008, served two terms as club president from 2010 to 2012. For the past several years she has served as club Public Relations Chair, a position which she currently holds. She has held board and committee chair roles, and she is an active member with various club service projects and fundraisers.

Also, Hammond has co-written numerous Rotary District 7090 Grants for her club and assisted with the grants’ implementation. She was instrumental in helping to lead the Westfield-Mayville Rotary Club in conducting a successful two-year PolioPlus Challenge campaign to raise money to aid in polio eradication. In 2010, Hammond with Jim Wakeman, her spouse and fellow Rotarian, participated in a trip to rural villages near Niamey, Niger, for water wells installation and offering various forms of humanitarian aid.

Rotary International’s causes include the following: promoting peace; fighting disease; providing clean water; saving mothers and children; supporting education; growing local economics; and protecting the environment. The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International lists its mission statement as “to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.”