Mona Paddock honored for her work with Rotary

By Beau Weber HONORED: Bloomfield attorney Mona Paddock (right) was presented the Paul Harris Fellow Award on Tuesday by Bloomfield Rotary Club President Sandra Mead.

"It is the highest honor you can get in Rotary," stated Bloomfield Rotary President Sandra Mead while preparing for Tuesday's meeting.

She was referring to the Paul Harris Fellow Award. Named for the founder of Rotary, this award is given to those who have been voted by their peers as being an exemplary Rotarian.

Mead announced to an unknowing club that Mona Paddock, a local attorney and partner in Bloomfield's Hartman and Paddock law firm, was this year's recipient and presented her with a medallion, lapel, and certificate.

She was surprised and clearly moved when she accepted the award from her peers, and graciously gave a speech to thank the club and to describe her own experience in the club.

She described being the second woman member of the Bloomfield chapter and jokingly stated that the club was "nothing but a room full of old men," when she had first joined.

Her speech then focused on the growing role of women in the club. She finished by stating that her favorite role in the club had been as Chairman of the Bloomfield Rotary Scholarship Committee.

"I was very surprised and pleased, and just proud to be a Rotarian," said Paddock.

The award, which costs the club $1,000 to give, is the highest award within the Rotary Club.

She thanked the club once more and stepped down, giving the floor to another member to lead a discussion of banking and economics in the Bloomfield area.

Following a meal provided by a skilled team of cooks, the meeting opened with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Afterwards the members took their seats and paid fines of no higher than 50 cents for such infractions as wearing a spring suit on a cold day and the length of their hair.

After charges were made, the club played a lottery style game involving the serial numbers on a dollar bill which involved a small cash prize.

Announcements came next where the club discussed other awards and passed around plaques before coming to the highlight award of the day: The Paul Harris Fellow Award.

The next meeting will be April 29 and will be a special joint meeting of the Bloomfield and Linton Rotary clubs to hear from the Great Britain Group Study Exchange. This will be a very special meeting and members of both clubs have been encouraged to attend.