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Al Watson “Quiet Hero” Memorial Award

Purpose:

This award recognizes one outstanding Rotarian within District 6970 who has lived their life by the same principles as Al Watson.  The award recognizes a Rotarian who for at least ten years in Rotary has worked quietly and out of the spotlight …  Someone who helps build community… Someone who does this work with joy, year after year.

Qualifying Requirements
  1. Based upon at least ten years of service in Rotary.
  2. Active member in good standing in District 6970.
  3. At least ten years of significant community service outside of Rotary
  4. Current District Governor Corps (DG, DGE, DGN, & DGND) and Past DGs are not eligible
  5. Can receive this award only once
  6. Must demonstrate a clear commitment to the community that goes beyond Rotary
  7. Honorees shall be representative of Al Watson’s legacy to Rotary and his community
Al Watson’s Legacy

In 2008 – 2009 District 6970 initiated the Al Watson Memorial Award to recognize a Rotarian who has demonstrated the values of Rotary and community engagement over a significant period of time. The guidelines for selection emphasize that the individual should emulate the values and commitment demonstrated by Al Watson to Rotary and his community, through constantly striving to create a better future.

Al was a long-time member of the Rotary Club of Keystone Heights until his passing at the age of 94 years of age.  Sixty-five of those years he was a Rotarian.  Al and his wife Agnes were successful in the grocery business largely due to a combination of hard work, common sense and an engaging personality.  Both he and Agnes worked tirelessly and donated significantly, with little or no fanfare, in order to help open the doors of opportunity to community youth through access to education, to improve the quality of care for others, and to increase the impact of Al’s beloved Rotary Foundation.

Al’s philosophy is best described by two of his quotes:

“Wealth is like manure. You can leave it one big pile and it will smell, BUT you can spread it over the ground and beautiful flowers become the focus.”

Advice to newly married after Al and Agnes were married for 68 years: “Marriage is like an Oreo, really doesn’t matter what happens in the middle as long as love is on both sides.”

Nomination & Selection Procedures
  • Any Rotarian in District 6970 may nominate a candidate for this award provided the nomination is endorsed by a current president of a Rotary Club in District 6970.  The endorsing president need not be the president of the Nominator’s Rotary Club.  Current presidents of Rotary Clubs in District 6970 need not have their nominations endorsed by another current president.  The application is available online and must be completed and submitted online.  
  • Selection Committee is comprised of the same District 6970 Rotarians that serves to select the D. Brent Williams “Spirit of Rotary” Award, as follows:
    • Immediate Past District Governor
    • District Governor
    • District Governor-Elect
    • District Governor-Nominee, who shall serve as Committee Chair
    • Three at-large members
      • Each year the longest serving at-large member will roll off of the committee.
      • The iPDG will select the replacement at-large member no later than January 15 of each year.
    • The Selection Committee shall meet as called by the Chair to review nominations and select the top candidate, using a numeric scoring system acceptable to the committee.
    • Numeric scores shall guide Committee discussions but not be the sole determining factor in a decision; qualitative judgements shall also guide Committee deliberations.
    • This Award is not required to be issued annually; the Committee can decide that nominees for a particular year do not meet the high standards intended for this Award.
    • The selection of the honoree shall be made no later than 2 weeks before the District Conference. If a District Conference is not held during the Rotary Year, the selection shall occur no later than June 1 of that year.

Last updated Jan. 27, 2024

Click for TIPS ON HOW TO WRITE A COMPELLING AWARD NOMINATION
Nomination application now open (click here)
For questions, click to contact Rusty Hall