Wheaton Rotary Installs Officers, Honors Community Members

Awards were presented and new officers installed as the Rotary Club of Wheaton kicked off its new year Wednesday night with its 54th Annual Installation Dinner at Arrowhead Golf Club.

The club also recognized upstanding community members with the Paul Harris Fellow and the Four-Way Person of the Year awards, including a Detective of the and a local business owner who organized a team to complete a much-needed renovation at a group home.

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Named for Rotary founder Paul Harris, the Paul Harris Fellowship recognizes Rotarians who have donated $1,000 to the humanitarian and educational programs of the Rotary Foundation. The foundation includes international projects to provide educational opportunities, food, water, health care, immunizations and shelter for millions of people.

For his services to the community as a detective of the Wheaton Police Department, Det. Paul Fanning accepted the Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Rotary's outgoing president, Angela Adkins.

Adkins read a recommendation of Fanning from Wheaton Deputy Police Chief Tom Meloni that read he is a "man of the highest integrity."

"(Fanning) remains efficient as he works hard everyday... (he) successfully carries out the mission of the police department," she said.

Fanning, who has been with the Wheaton Police Department for 12 years, has also received accolades for his police work from the City of Wheaton and last year, from the Chicago Crime Commission, for his part in solving a grizzly murder case that happened .

The Four-Way Person of the Year Award is presented to a non-Rotarian who best demonstrates the “Ideals of Rotary” through service to the community, by living and working Rotary’s Four Way Test. This 24-word test, which is recited at weekly meetings and is what club members try to emulate in their business and professional lives, asks the following four questions:

"Of the things we think, say or do:

Is it the truth?
Is it fair to all concerned?
Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
Will it be beneficial to all concerned?"

Adkins presented the award to Robert Michael, owner of RJM Build in Glen Ellyn, who demonstrated the Rotary ideals after transforming a group home in need in March.

On a call years ago, Adkins said, Michael learned of a family with an adult son living in a group home in sore need of a new kitchen. After months of organizing a team, Michael's work resulted in a 24-hour demolition and renovation of the kitchen in March 2012.

"Even now, I'm not sure that Rob truly understands the impact he has made," Adkins said.

Joe Cuttone, president of American Fidelity Mortgage Services, Inc., took his post as the new president for the 2012-13 year, with officers Lori Belha as the president elect; Mark Smith, vice president; Sheri Billing, secretary; Mark Daniels, treasurer; and Angela Adkins, past president.

Cuttone was the organizer of the 2011 fundraiser, which raised a record $54,000 for local and international Rotary projects, said Adkins. She added Cuttone will take on the club's current international project that will provide 280 wheelchairs—totaling approximately $44,000—to children in South America.

The new board of directors includes:

• Cheryl Cross and John Wilt — directors of community service;
• Robert Lyon and Rod Beadle — international service;
• Steve Charvat — vocational service;
• Sam Salahi — Ways & Means;
• Robert McDonough and Mark Lathrop — membership;
• Roger Tully — club service;
• Chuck Mattingly — foundation;
• Erica Loiacono — public relations and
• Cathy Hetrick — new generations.

The Rotary Club of Wheaton meets every Wednesday at 12:10 p.m. at Arrowhead Golf Club, 26W151 Butterfield Rd. Through the club’s one yearly fundraiser, Christmas Inn, the club is able to provide assistance to various local organizations and projects including Humanitarian Service Project, S.C.A.R.C.E, Literacy Volunteers of DuPage, Wheaton Public Library, Wheaton High School’s Operation Safe Celebration, Wheaton Elementary School Student Scholarships for College, Vocational Scholarships, and more. International projects in 2010-11 have also included providing funding to build and furnish a home for orphans in the Dominican Republic; sending a container project to send medical equipment, school supplies and clothing to Uganda; purchase computers for a woman’s shelter in Peru for vocational training.

The local club is part of a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional and community leaders.