More than 80 Rotarians and guests gathered at Love’s Seafood Restaurant on June 29 to celebrate the end of the Rotary year and look forward to the beginning of the new one. 
There are more than 1.2 million people in 34,000 Rotary Clubs around the world, and they all begin their new Rotary year of “Service Above Self” on July 1.
Aimee Harris, outgoing president of the Rotary Club of Richmond Hill and attorney at Harvey & Hendrix, thanked the current board members for their service and recognized retiring directors Tina Eberlein, past president; and Howard Rush, treasurer. 
Harris presented the Jim Bayens rookie-of-the-year award to Jami Pflibsen, publisher and advertising director of Richmond Hill’s Reflections Magazine.
Harris presented the Rotarian of the Year award to club Secretary Lesley Francis. 
Community Service Director Pflibsen presented the Jay Gardner Scholarship of $2,000 to Richmond Hill High School graduate Haley McPherson. 
Jill Kelsey of Interact presented the annual Interact Student Award to Samantha Munoz, the young Interact member who had done the most for her club and fellow members this year.
Founding member Dick Kent presented the Community Service Award to Diana South, who runs the local Food for the Soul organization.
Three members celebrated their 15-year anniversary with the Rotary Club of Richmond Hill. Betty Miner, Ray Pittman and Alice Steyaart each were recognized with a special award. 
Tina Eberlein, the immediate past president, recognized the following members for having perfect attendance: Linda and Larry Barker, Bill Eberlein, Francis, Harris, Kent, Jimmie Norris, Trace Palmer and Howard Rush.
Incoming President Bill Eberlein, CEO of Megateeth, formally took the mantle of president from Aimee Harris. He said he was delighted to begin his year with a special ceremony to award the special status of Paul Harris Fellow to 10 members of the club: Larry Barker, Mark Bolton, Ted Flake, Francis, Cathy Gregory, Harris, Miner, Norris, Rush and Steyaart. 
“I am very proud of our club’s achievement,” Bill Eberlein said. “The Paul Harris Fellow is given in recognition of the amount donated by our club to funding important Rotary International work, including the eradication of polio. The Rotary Club of Richmond Hill now has 27 members who have achieved this status, representing nearly half of our club.”
Fulton Love, the owner of the seafood restaurant, said he was proud to host the annual event. He was a founding member of the Rotary Club of Richmond Hill in 1995 and has been Rotarian of the Year three times.