At a Daily Local News Accepts Partner Award recent luncheon meeting, President Catherine Friedman presented the club’s very first Partner award to the Daily Local News (DLN). Bill Rettew, longtime DLN photographer and journalist, accepted the award on behalf of the DLN. Participating in the presentation along with Friedman, were Cathy Palmquist, Communications Committee member, and Jeff Cantwell, Communications Committee Chairman.In presenting the award, Friedman said “The Rotary Club proudly honors the DLN for its outstanding dedication to community service, unwavering commitment to excellence, and longstanding partnership. The DLN has partnered with our club in publishing numerous photos and articles of the club’s activities and events, enabling DLN readers to learn of important activities, and the support of Rotarians good works near and far”.
The Partner award is a new recognition of businesses in the greater West Chester area who have provided longtime support of activities of Rotary’s Service Above Self mission. The award will be presented each quarter of the year to a business that has been supportive of Rotary’s mission. For the benefit of newer club members, Palmquist gave a few examples of some DLN published photos and articles, such as the club’s installation of water pumps in Senegal, and our support of children from other countries who have lost limbs to witch doctors, and have come to Philadelphia for limb replacement at Shriners Hospital.
The DLN has published photos/articles about Rotary volunteers who have helped package up medical supplies being donated to over 135 under-resourced countries in the world by the C.U.R.E. project, (Commission on Urgent Relief and Equipment). The DLN helped us celebrate our 100 th anniversary in West Chester, and publishes the club’s annual recognition of non-profit grant recipients. For over 20 years, the DLN gave significant coverage to the club’s major fundraising event, the Chili Cook-off, that attracted upwards of 10,000 people to the borough each fall with front page photos and engaging articles about the event.
In closing, Rettew shared a few interesting comments about his work as a journalist for over 27 years.