Seven Peterborough residents were recently recognized for their community service when the Rotary Club of Peterborough and the Rotary Club of Peterborough-Kawartha jointly presented their annual Paul Harris Fellow recognitions.
Linda Calverley, Ashley Bonner, Lorne M. Hamilton, Marcus Ferguson, Steve Paul, Eric Steinmiller, and Len Lifchus were each named Paul Harris Fellows during a dinner and celebration last Thursday night (November 20) at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club.
Named for Rotary International founder Paul Percy Harris, the honour was first established in 1957 to recognize Rotarians and was expanded in 1979 to include non-Rotarians. The first non-Rotarian to receive a Paul Harris Fellow recognition was Mother Teresa, with other notable recipients being U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, U.S. astronaut James Lovell, UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar, and polio vaccine developer Jonas Salk.
Today, the recognition is the highest honour Rotarians can bestow upon non-Rotarians who exemplify Rotary’s motto of “Service above Self” in the categories of community, international, vocational, youth, and environment. In addition, Rotary clubs continue the original tradition by also recognizing a Rotarian as a Paul Harris Fellow in the club service category.
In previous years, Peterborough’s two Rotary Clubs each held their own Paul Harris Fellow recognition events but, for the first time this year, combined their events.
“Presenting the Paul Harris recognition together allows our clubs to honour these recipients as part of a wider Rotary family,” says Rotary Club of Peterborough president Tony Grady. “It reinforces that our achievements in service aren’t confined to individual clubs — they’re part of a larger, collective effort to create lasting change.”
The following community members were named Paul Harris Fellows at last Thursday’s event. Each recipient received a Paul Harris Fellow certificate and a Paul Harris pin and, on behalf of each recipient, the Rotary Clubs of Peterborough and Peterborough-Kawartha will donate the equivalent of $1,000 USD to the Rotary International Foundation.
Youth Services – Linda Calverley
The Youth Services category recognizes a person who makes significant contributions towards youth through programs, services, or related matters.
Linda Calverley has spent the past 25 years shaping the lives of girls through the Girl Guides of Canada, mentoring girls from ages nine to 17 across multiple units. She has supported fellow leaders, organized camps and events, and inspired generations of girls to be confident, capable, and compassionate. Calverley has also led adventure trips to Scotland and the UK, organized national camps, and created experiences that have broadened young minds and built lifelong friendships.
Community Service – Ashley Bonner
The Community Service category recognizes an person who makes a significant leadership contribution to the advancement and betterment of the Peterborough community.
Ashley Bonner is the founder of the East City Community Hub, a grassroots network that began by helping vulnerable neighbours with errands and groceries. She has supported local businesses, organized neighbourhood events, and rallied volunteers in times of need. She created her signature project, the East City Neighbourhood Yard Sale, in honour of her late mother and it has grown to include over 100 participating homes.
Community Service – Lorne M. Hamilton
The Community Service category recognizes an person who makes a significant leadership contribution to the advancement and betterment of the Peterborough community.
When the Kawartha Woodturners Guild lost their meeting space at St. Peter’s High School, Lorne M. Hamilton reached out to potters, weavers, gourders, and other craftspeople, and together they formed what became the Artisans Centre Peterborough. With his leadership, the Artisans Centre Peterborough found a home in Peterborough Square, a space that still buzzes today with creativity, learning, and community spirit. Hamilton’s vision has made art more inclusive and inspiring for everyone, with the Artisans Centre Peterborough offering everything from children’s programs to accessible workstations for those in wheelchairs.
Vocational Service – Marcus Ferguson
The Vocational Service category recognizes a person who uses their vocational skills consistent with Rotary ideals toward community or international matters.
Marcus Ferguson has become the unseen historian of Peterborough through his work with YourTV Cogeco. From city council meetings and charity fundraisers to sporting events and Rotary gatherings, Ferguson been there with his video camera, capturing the people and moments that shape who we are. Comparable to the Trent Valley Archives or the Roy Studio Collection, one could say the digital video archive Marcus has built will hold that same importance, telling the story of our community.
Environmental Service – Steve Paul
The Environmental Service category recognizes a person who supports activities that strengthen the conservation and protection of our environment.
Steve Paul is the founder of Clean Up Peterborough, a small grassroots effort to keep Peterborough’s parks, trails, and neighbourhoods clean. He has grown his endeavour into a community-wide movement focused not just on picking up litter, but on rethinking how the city reduces waste, recycles, and reuses materials. Among his many initiatives is organizing the collection of used writing instruments and used pill bottles diverting hundreds of kilograms of plastic waste from our landfills.
Club Service for the Rotary Club of Peterborough – Eric Steinmiller
The Club Service category recognizes a Rotarian for their outstanding service and dedication.
As the co-chair of the Rotary Club of Peterborough’s international service committee, Eric Steinmiller is a world traveller and a leader in developing and funding Rotary’s humanitarian projects in Nepal and Honduras.
Club Service for the Rotary Club of Peterborough-Kawartha – Len Lifchus
The Club Service category recognizes a Rotarian for their outstanding service and dedication.
A dedicated Rotarian for over 26 years, Len Lifchus has faithfully served the Rotary Club of Peterborough-Kawartha in many capacities, most notably serving as club secretary and president and leading the club’s major funding projects. He has also served on the boards of numerous not-for-profits in the community.
Certificate of Appreciation – Nine Ships 1825 Inc.
The Nine Ships 1825 Inc. project also received a certificate of appreciation from the Rotary Clubs of Peterborough and Peterborough-Kawartha for its work in organizing events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Peter Robinson Irish Emigration earlier this year and creating community engagement. Brendan Moher accepted the certificate on behalf of the group, which also included Elwood Jones, Maureen Crowley, and Mary Smith.
