Above: Over 6 years ago, a volunteer for the Food Pantry accepted a check from a representative of the Rotary Club. This weekend, both volunteers are being honored by the Rotary for their longtime service to the community. (images cropped from invite and 2012 contributed photo)
Southborough Rotarians have named this year’s winners of the Celebrating Service Award. The honors go to Barbara Jandrue and Chris Robbins. The public is invited to the ceremony, which will be followed by the annual Cutler Jazz Festival at St. Mark’s School.
The annual recognition will take place on Sunday April 7th, at St. Mark’s School, in Taft Hall, at 5:30 pm. (The festival follows at 6:30 pm. Stay tuned for details.)
Rotary announced:
Each year “Celebrating Service, Celebrating Southborough” event is organized by the club to recognize people in Southborough who have provided outstanding service to the town. This year the club is pleased to recognize two individuals who have contributed so much to the Southborough community.
The first honoree is Barbara Jandrue, for her dedication and unflagging efforts at the Southborough Food Pantry over several years. Founded in 1990, the Pantry serves Southborough residents and parishioners of the five member churches of Pilgrim Church, St. Matthew Church, St. Anne Church, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and First Community Church. Barbara has worked for years to raise awareness around food insecurity, continuously solicit food items to keep the Pantry stocked, and built an engaged volunteer network.
The second honoree is long time Rotary club member, and military veteran, Chris Robbins, for his support of veterans and the Southborough community for many years. Robbins served in the U.S. Army for 21 years: three years on active duty, and 18 in the Army Reserves. He served four years as president of The Armed Forces Committee of Worcester County, a nonprofit that exists to honor and support area veterans. He always gives willingly of his time and expertise, helping organizations make the greatest possible impact. He is on the board of the Alliance Health and Human Services, a nonprofit that runs nursing homes, and foster care program, and also on the board of the Southborough Economic Development Committee.
Rotary focuses on providing “Service Above Self”. “As a local service organization, we want to recognize good people doing good work”, says David Vachris, Rotary Club past-president 2017-18. Past recipients of the Rotary club’s service recognition award include Karen Fournier, Jeff Beane, Doreen Ferguson, & John Wilson.
The event is free and open to the public and free parking is available in the St. Mark’s Athletics Parking lot off Rt 85.
