FOUR community-minded local achievers were honoured to be named Paul Harris Fellows at the recent Rotary, Port Shepstone induction dinner at the Port Shepstone Country Club.
At the dinner, outgoing president Patrick Schulz handed over the reins to incoming president Ian Docherty. Vanessa Howard-Tripp was inducted as the new Rotary Ann president. Dudu Ndlovu was named Rotarian of the year for her tireless efforts, co-ordinating the regular Rotary Health Days at St Faiths.
Two members of the teaching profession, Mr Schulz and fellow Port Shepstone Rotarian Del Pendock, were among the four new Rotary International Paul Harris Fellows. They received this international honour for their dedication to Rotary International and their contribution to education and the youth. This is specifically through their involvement with the annual youth leadership course, convened by Rotary Port Shepstone for the last 50 years.
Port Shepstone Rotarian and manager of the South Coast Herald, Bevis Fairbrother was also made a Paul Harris Fellow. As president of the Rotary Club of Port Shepstone for two consecutive years, he guided the club through a troubled time after several high profile Rotarians had died. His contribution to Rotary in general, through his professional life as a journalist, was also recognised.
Brian Henning, the fourth new Paul Harris Fellow, was honoured for his dedication to his community through his profession as a forensic detective. A former Port Shepstone Round Table president, Mr Henning is one of the more celebrated SAPS detectives from this area. He has been involved in numerous high-profile cases and has even made the television programme Carte Blanche for his involvement in the so-called ‘sugar cane serial rapist’ case.
The four new Paul Harris Fellows share this honour with more than a million achievers worldwide, including notable figures like former US President Jimmy Carter and Russian President Boris Yeltsin, the astronaut James Lovell and United Nations Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar.
