The Liberty NY Rotary Club held their seventh annual Hummingbird Award and Paul Harris Fellow Recognition Lunch last Sunday at the Arc Greater Hudson Valley Multi-Purpose Room in Monticello. All proceeds benefit the club's Haiti Clean Water Program.
 
 The Hummingbird Award originated from a story club members heard on a trip to Haiti, and is given to individuals and organizations who are doing their part and the best they can to make their communities a better place.
 
 This year's Hummingbird Award recipients were Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills, Bill Bassett, Julian Dawson, Jannetta MacArthur, Marty Colavito, Gerald Skoda and Dan Hart.
 
The Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation.
Rotary established the recognition in 1957 to encourage and show appreciation for substantial contributions to what was then the Foundation's only program, Rotary Foundation Fellowships for Advanced Study, the precursor to Ambassadorial Scholarships.  Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, the Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects.
Paul Harris Fellows recognized at Sunday's event were Joseph Abraham, Joanna Gass, Macklin Eugene, Danny Thalmann, Irving Kaplan, Les Kristt, Dan Parkhurst, Judy Siegel, Gary Silverman, Anthony Sinacore, Jack Strassman and Gary Siegel.  
 
The non-profit, A Single Bite, provided the food for the event.
 
 "We are grateful for the Arc of the Greater Hudson Valley for allowing us to use their wonderful space for our event," said Liberty Rotarian and Hummingbird Committee Chair Joseph Abraham. "We're also thankful for A Single Bite for catering a delicious meal. Our committee would also like to recognize the generosity of attendees and event sponsors for helping us raise crucial funds to help our friends in Haiti."
 
 Over $3,500 was raised to support the Liberty NY Rotary Club's efforts in Haiti. Liberty Rotarians Gary Silver and Gary Siegel co-chair the Haiti Clean Water Program Committee.
 
"We are so grateful for the support that we have received at our Hummingbird & Paul Harris Fellow Recognition Lunches benefiting the Haiti Clean Water Program Sustainability Fund over the years and this year is no exception.  All funds raised at the event will help to sustain our program beyond the term of the global grant so that the 1,000 families that have participated in the program in Cap Haitien will continue to benefit from having clean potable water well into the future, allowing them to lead healthier and more productive lives,” said Siegel.