Community Volunteers Honored By Pittsfield Rotary Club
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Barbara I Kie and Paul M Dowd are the Pittsfield Rotary Club’s Dr. David Kagan Award recipients for 2009. At a recent meeting of the Rotary Club that took place at the Country Club of Pittsfield, the two were given recognition for their outstanding community service and volunteerism. The award established in memory of Dr. David Kagan, former member and Past President of the local club, is given annually to two community volunteers whose volunteerism is “above and beyond” the call of duty.
The recipients represent the highest standards of the Judeo-Christian ethic that is the basis for the award. The presentations were made by the Kagan Committee chair Diane Carlo, Ed Forfa of Berkshire Place and Jeffrey Whitehouse of AAA.
Ed Forfa cited Barbara Kie for her faithful service to the Pittsfield/Berkshire community throughout her life. Ms Kie, a retired registered nurse, has been involved with Berkshire Place as its secretary and a member of its Resident Health Services and Personnel Committees for a number of years. Ms Kie has also served on the board of HospiceCare in the Berkshires. She is a communicant of the First United Methodist Church in Pittsfield where she has been active in many of its committees. She volunteers at the Colonial Theatre. Currently she serves as the board chair of Elder Services of Berkshire County.
Paul Dowd was presented his award by Jeffrey Whitehouse. Dowd, who is retired a WMECO account executive and former professional baseball player for the Boston Red Sox, has been actively involved in several organizations dedicated to the betterment and advancement of Pittsfield and the Berkshires. Mr Dowd has served as a Pittsfield City Councilman and has chaired the Safety Committee for the City of Pittsfield.
He has served as a Deputy Sheriff under Sheriff Carmen Massimiano, was a board member of Downtown Inc and of the Friends of the Senior Center. One of his best known volunteer commitments has been to the Jimmy Fund of Berkshire County that he founded over 25 years ago. Over the years, has helped raise funds by coordinating successful golf tournaments, Ice Fishing Derbies, and Little League All-Star Tournaments.
In addition to a plaque that was given to each recipient, Kie and Dowd each received a $200 stipend for the charity of their choice. Among the guests at the luncheon and presentation were Mrs. Irene Kagan, and Joan Kagan Levine, Dr. Kagan’s widow and daughter respectively. Ms. Levine is also a Rotarian in the Holyoke club.
